Father and Son
by Kroissant
Summary: From a distance, Hanks watches his foster son—Yuri Lowell grow up from a troubled boy, a haughty teenager to a full-grown mature adult and later, a father. (ENDGAME: YUSTELLE).**COMPLETE**
1. From a Babe to a Teenager

June 21st—it was a dark and dreary evening with no trace of the sun's presence beyond the cloudy sky. A heavy downpour, concealed well with the silver fog which shrouded the dilapidated row of houses, surrounding a large fountain—this was the Lower Quarter, home to the poor and the lost, the old and weary.

In the midst of the pouring rain, a startled cry broke out.

Meek and feeble but powerful and enduring—signifying the birth of a child, a boy.

For a few brief minutes, there was a moment of peace until…

 _"Oh, no! We're losing her!"_

 _"Lily, please stay strong!"_

 _"Breathe! breathe!"_

Lying on a bed was a young woman with long black hair. Surrounding her sprawled out body were two able women doing what they can to help ease her mild discomfort and ever increasing pain. Though the birth was deemed successful, the woman—Lily was in a critical state. Every waking second, she was losing lots of blood.

With little to no money to afford a doctor, the women did what they could by stocking up more pillows behind her to incline her head, provide her water to drink and murmur encouragements in her ear for support.

Meanwhile, the leader of the group, Jiri, took the initiative to direct orders to some of the men waiting for any news from the house they were currently stationed in.

So many things were happening at once, Lily couldn't keep track of any of it.

Barely conscious and struggling to breathe, she leaned her chin forward, her facial features softening as she took a moment to take in the appearance of her newly-born son.

He was utterly beautiful.

Without warning, she wrapped an arm around his tiny form and cradled him, inhaling his scent and sighing heavily. As much as she wanted to keep him in her arms forever, she knew that her time was almost over as she could feel herself slipping away.

Gathering the remaining strength left in her, Lily moved her head and locked eyes with the bearded man sitting next to her. She knew what she had to do. Ignoring the noises around them, Lily silently jerked her chin to let him come forth.

The man nodded, leaning in.

"Please…" Lily drawled out as her voice was desperate. "If I don't make it…"

"Lilian, you mustn't say that," The man retorted, bringing his hand forward to squeeze her shoulder. "You can do this. You are strong, I know you can— "

Lily shook her head. "No, I don't…have much time…" She croaked, tears spilling down from the corners of her eyes. Inhaling another deep breath, she veered downwards to take a good look at her child, still bawling with tiny arms reaching out in seek of her warmth.

Smiling, Lily pecked him on the temple.

To the man's surprise, the child stopped his outburst.

"Hanks," She began, averting her attention back to the bearded man. "Please…take care of him."

"Lillian!"

"I can't go on…" She muttered, struggling to form more words out of her mouth. "You and Jiri…please, I beg of you…" And offered her baby to him.

Right away, Hanks extended his arms out to welcome the small bundle in his embrace. The second he got a hold of him, Lily smiled and closed her eyes, dropping her left arm in the process.

Eyes widening, Hanks rushed forth to take a hold of her hand. He turned pale.

It was cold.

"LILLIAN!" Hanks cried at the top of his lungs, startling the baby and the women in the room.

On cue, the mass of women rushed over to her already unconscious form.

When Hanks attempted to join in, he felt something wriggling in his arms. Looking down, he was surprised to find that the child had opened his eyes—it was as dark as midnight, the same eyes as his recently deceased mother.

Consumed with emotions, Hanks excused himself from the women to approach his wife, Jiri, who stood from a distance with her arms crossed over her chest. Though she displayed a strong atmosphere, Hanks knew from the way her shoulders were stiffened and how she kept blinking her eyes multiple times were that she was restraining herself from crying right then and there.

"Jiri…" He murmured, alerting his wife.

In response, the tall woman looked down, her eyes lengthening in size upon recognizing the small bundle in his arms. "Hanks, you…"

"Lilian entrusted me and you to be this boy's caretakers." Hanks explained to her, "We must respect her wishes."

Jiri nodded her head. "Has she bestowed him a name?"

"No," Hanks answered, sighing heavily.

His wife crinkled her nose. "Then what should we call him?"

Hanks took a moment to think it over. Uriel Lowell was the name of Lily's mysterious lover and the father of the currently unnamed child. By combining that with Lily's maiden surname, which was Yeatman, the result would be—

"…Yuri."

Jiri arched a questionable eyebrow. "What?"

"Yuri," Hanks repeated, this time with confidence. "It's a combination of his deceased parents' names." He explained to her. "A name that would honor them both."

Frowning, Jiri mulled the thought over. "Yuri Lowell…" She wondered, testing the waters. As she silently replayed the new name over and over in her head, she was unconsciously drawn to the dead woman whose entire body, excluding her head, was wrapped in blankets. Reverting her eyes back to her husband, she forced a smile. "What a fitting name."

Hanks nodded in agreement, his eyes wandering downwards to look at the now sleeping child nestled in his embrace.

June 21st—a day that Hanks, his wife Jiri, and the rest of the Lower Quarter would never forget.

Following the untimely death of a beloved member of their closely-knitted community, Lillian Lowell—her orphaned son, is welcomed with open arms by the women, men, and children.

A boy who would grow up to honor the sacrifice of his mother under his christened name—Yuri Lowell.

* * *

Before Yuri was born, Hanks and his wife Jiri wished to have a child of their own.

Despite their efforts to procreate, they were unable to conceive one as it was later revealed by a visiting nurse that they were both infertile. Years passed and they've hit their early forties with no child to care for.

And then a twenty-year-old mercenary named Lillian arrived.

Hailing from Dahngrest, she was quite the beauty with lustrous long, black mane, blessed with a lean figure and held a thirst for fighting monsters. With no family to speak of, she wandered far and wide. Until one day, she stumbled across the Capital City of Zaphias.

She enjoyed the hospitality of the people of the Lower Quarter and ultimately decided to remain there for good. Everyone loved her, especially Hanks and Jiri who saw a bit of themselves in her. Three years later and out of the blue, she announced her pregnancy.

Information of her mysterious lover remained unknown except for his name—Uriel Lowell. With no trace of his whereabouts, Hanks, Jiri, and the community took it upon themselves to tend to her in the months to come.

Nine months later and Lillian, shortly after delivering a healthy baby boy, passed away in her sleep as a result of the massive blood loss prior to her delivery.

As promised, Hanks and Jiri took Yuri in, providing him with enough milk to be fed, clothes to wear, and a room for him to occupy in their household.

Fast-forward to the present and the boy grew up fast and strong, as predicted.

At the age of seven, Yuri was already exhibiting great potential—agile and boastful, reminding Hanks of a young Lillian who, too displayed a similar streak. And like his mother, Yuri was quite the handful.

Nevertheless, through the efforts of the able men and women in the Lower Quarter, he was well-nourished and given shelter—a home and a family to call his own.

Around the time, a newcomer entered the Lower Quarter with the company of his mother—a seven-year-old by the name of Flynn Scifo.

Born and raised in the Middle Quarter, it took a while for Flynn to be accepted by his peers, especially by Yuri who was known to display a haughty attitude.

And much to Hanks's dismay, Yuri would always find opportunities to challenge the poor boy in a duel. Time and time again, he would lose and as a result, would receive a few scratches on his elbows and knees, and a busted lip.

This was one of those times.

"Hey, cut it out!"

Hanks rolled his eyes, ignoring the boy's protest as he continued to smear alcohol in a white cloth before enclosing it on his bruised cheek. Upon the contact, Yuri gritted his teeth.

"Ahhh!" Yuri suddenly cried, "That hurts!"

"If you keep moving like that, it'll get worse!" He exclaimed, causing the latter to stiffen in his seat. "Now, quit your whining and let me finish!"

To his relief, Yuri did what he was told and closed his mouth shut.

A moment later, Hanks stood upright, taking the first aid kit in the process. Before he could say anything, another voice beat him to it.

"What did we tell you about fighting?" Jiri's booming voice rang throughout the room, catching their attention. "Nothing good comes out of it!"

"You weren't there!" He exclaimed in defense, jumping out of his chair to approach the older woman. "I had to protect my turf no matter what!"

Jiri shot him a glare. "I don't care! That doesn't give you the right to suddenly attack that Scifo kid." She scolded. "And in broad daylight!"

"He was asking for it— "

Something bumped him on the head, startling him. Quickly, he brought his hands to nurse the aching wound.

"This is the tenth time you've pulled the same stunt in two weeks," Hanks joined in, his tone calm and steady, "Man up and befriend Flynn."

Whirling his head around, Yuri stuck out his tongue. "No way!" He cried, "I'm never gonna befriend that jerk! Not even in a million years!"

Jiri and Hanks cast each other a look and laughed.

Taking note of this, Yuri furrowed his eyebrows. "What's with you guys?"

"Yuri, do you know the policy here in the Lower Quarter?" Jiri brought up, earning a startled look from the boy.

Registering her words, Yuri crossed his arms. "We must welcome everyone…and anyone with open arms…" He murmured lowly as he recited the community oath, "Like…they're family."

"Which means that you and Flynn would have to view each other the same way we view you," Hanks explained to him with a smile. "Whether you like it or not, you're gonna see him as a brother."

Yuri groaned. "Do I have to?"

"If you wanna live long enough to see your future, then yes," Jiri affirmed this. Giving her husband a silent look, she proceeded to excuse herself from the living room to start preparing their supper.

Alone with his foster son, Hanks approached him.

Bending on one knee, he looked at him and asked, "Yuri," He addressed the boy in a gentle manner. "There must be a reason why you keep targeting him."

Yuri turned his head the other way, avoiding eye contact.

Hanks sighed. "I won't tell Jiri," He stressed, "Just tell me what's bothering you."

"… **Why does Flynn have a mom and I don't?"**

Hanks blinked. "Are you saying that you're jealous?" He wondered, tipping his head to the side.

"N-no!" Yuri exclaimed though the tips of his ears were reddening from embarrassment. "I just don't get him, you know?" As he delivered his words, he brought a hand to the hem of his shirt and tightened his hold on it. "He's got a mom and…well, he had a dad but that's something…"

Hearing this, Hanks's facial features softened. "You know you have us," He said, referring to him and his wife.

"Yeah, but…" Yuri trailed off, taking a deep breath. "Just watching Flynn interact with his mom the other day, it makes me wonder what'll be like if my mom's here…" Pausing briefly, he took a moment to choose his words carefully until finally, settled with a question. "Hanks?"

"Yes?"

"What's my mom like?"

No response.

"…Hanks?"

"Your mom was…interesting, to say the least," The bearded man began, his voice becoming a mere whisper. "She was brave, canny, and would do anything in her power to help those in need. She's a precious member of the community and we would never forget the kind endeavors she's done for us."

Yuri nodded intently. "What did she look like?"

"She had beautiful black hair," Hanks went on, followed shortly by a soft chuckle. "Kind of like yours. And I believe you share the same eye shape and eye color as well."

Beaming from the new information, Yuri threw in another question. "What about my dad? What was he like?"

This time, he received no answer.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's just…" Hanks stopped himself for a moment to breathe. "We don't talk about him because we don't know. Who he was or what he looked like—your mother was the only one who knew."

Yuri chewed on his bottom lip as he processed the words. "…Oh," was all he managed to say.

Something warm was planted on top of his head, catching his attention. Looking up, he saw the bearded man's smile. "But you know, if it weren't for your mother, you wouldn't be alive now. And you have us—Jiri, Flynn, the community, and I…we're here for you. Always."

Yuri's eyes slightly widened before reverting back to its natural degree.

In return, he gave the bearded man a lop-sided grin.

And just like that, the seven-year-old boy's worries dissipated as Hanks's words touched his heart. To him, the definition of family was clear and simple—it was the people of the Lower Quarter.

* * *

It wasn't much of a surprise to Jiri and Hanks that in the end, Yuri and Flynn became quick friends—becoming fond of one another's presence as well as being personal rivals.

With Flynn's mother shortly passing away from an unidentifiable illness a few months later, the two boys became closer than ever. And through Yuri's request, the couple were more than happy to welcome the young Scifo into their household.

Often times, the two adults would find themselves taking on the roles of the boys' mediators as they tend to team up and get into more fights with other boys who would insult them.

Despite their differences, there was no doubt that they shared similar ambitions and dreams—choosing to save up their money to purchase a sword that they would take turns practicing, trying to best the other, and that one day, through their collaborated efforts, wished to assist the Lower Quarter.

Ten years have gone and Yuri reached the promising age of seventeen.

Slowly and surely, his appearance was becoming mature—outgrowing his hair into a fine, long mane (though at times, wore it in a tight ponytail), becoming taller and leaner, aligning well with his handsome features.

While going out to buy groceries, Jiri suffered a stroke.

Torn by this, Yuri and Flynn desperately ran to the Middle Quarter, hoping to find a doctor that would be available to them. Though they managed to find one, they couldn't afford the money to pay them. In the end, their foster mother passed away later at night—with Hanks, Yuri, and Flynn seated near her bedside, holding her hands and mourning in silence.

The day after came the funeral. Everyone from the Lower Quarter came in to shower Jiri's grave, which was buried near the outskirts of the barrier, with flowers and baskets of food for her journey in the afterlife.

Eventually, evening came and the majority of the crowd headed back to the Lower Quarter…all except Hanks who stood quietly in front of her tombstone, gripping the bouquet of flowers he held in his hands.

Alone and widowed—the fifty-one-year-old man sobbed to himself.

"Hey, old man."

Sniffing, Hanks turned to meet the dark-haired teenager.

"Come on, you can't stay here or the monsters are gonna come and attack," Yuri urged as he made his way over to his foster father. Extending his hand outward, he waited for the latter to accept his hand. "Let's go."

Swallowing thickly, Hanks nodded his head. "…Fine, fine," He murmured, choosing to ignore the teenager's hand and walking forward.

Yuri sighed. Peering over his shoulder, his expression softened. With his eyes fixated on the gravestone, he sighed, bowed his head a little and moved forth.

He quickened his pace to chase after the bearded man who seemed to be quite in a hurry to enter the entrance of the wall.

Once he got in close proximity, Hanks broke the silence by saying, "Let's go to the house. There's something I've been meaning to show ya."

Shaking his head, Yuri followed after him. As they walked up the stairs ascending to the Lower Quarter, Hanks angled his body to the left and opened the door. Wordlessly, Yuri entered as well.

As they maneuvered through the living room, Hanks abruptly halted in his tracks.

"Hanks, you alright?'

"Yeah, I'm good…" The bearded man murmured, clearing his throat. He points a finger over to a nearby bookshelf. "Could ya do me a favor and push this to the side?"

Yuri nodded, abiding his order with no objections. The eerie silence was replaced with the constant shuffling of the bookshelf and wood against wood. A few minutes later and Yuri finally managed to get the bookshelf to the other side.

Hanks wobbled over, and once more, directed his finger to the strange-looking box. "See that? That's for you."

Yuri frowned slightly. "…For me?"

"Jiri meant to give this to you," Hanks began, squatting down to retrieve the box before standing up. "Before she came to the Lower Quarter, she used to journey overseas, challenging others in a coliseum and whatnot."

Yuri cocked his head to the side, surprised to hear this. "Huh…that explains a few things." He grumbled, "Anyway, what's that?" And jerked his chin toward the box.

"This…" Hanks began, opening the box and bestowing it to him. "is Jiri's most prized possession." Claiming the handle of the sword, he raised it high.

"A…sword?"

"Second Star," Hanks explained further, his eyes trained in on the weapon in his possession. "A blade forged by one of the finest blacksmiths. Don't know much of its origin but I know that it meant a lot to my Jiri." As he finished his speech, he resorted to offering the sword over to his foster son.

"Woah, what are you doing?" Yuri cried, completely baffled.

"This," Hanks started, narrowing his eyes. "Is for you."

Yuri furiously shook his head. "No, I can't take this."

"Jiri would want you to," Hanks insisted him, his arm still outstretched as he waited for the latter to take hold of the weapon any time now. "Besides, I don't have much use for it. Not much of a fighter myself."

After much thought, Yuri finally surrendered. "Alright then," And took the sword from the bearded man. Inspecting it, he proceeded to swing the sword. He smirked a little as he felt a sudden rush of energy spread throughout his body. "Not so bad," He commented, flinging the sword over to the crook of his shoulder.

"And don't forget this," Hanks added in, to which the latter nodded and took the sheath from his hands.

"So, what's the catch?"

Hanks blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Normally, when you and Jiri want something out of me, you'd offer me bait and then ask me a favor in return," Yuri explained as he enclosed the Second Star sword through the covering. Taking a strand of the strings in his hands, he looked up to face the elder man. "So, what is it?"

Hanks emitted a soft smile. "You're learning," He murmured softly. Collecting his hands behind his back, he looked up to glance at the teenager and said, "It's not much of a favor but more of a request."

Yuri quirked an eyebrow. "And that is…?"

"Flynn is planning to become a knight," Hanks began, his tone of voice softer. "In a few days, he'll be sent to the palace to get properly trained and would be involved in the pilgrimage."

"And I'm guessing you'll want me to enroll myself in the program as well?" The teenager asked him, setting a hand on his hips. He remained stoic when the elder man nodded, confirming his suspicions.

"I don't know how long you wish to stay here in the Lower Quarter, but Jiri and I want what's best for you," Hanks replied, "Flynn knows what he wants to do. What about you?"

"I…" Yuri paused for a moment as he tried to think it over. "I know that I want to help you guys out here."

"But with what job and with what money?" Hanks pressed on, "You can't stay here, hoping for everything to be okay if all you do is sit around and wait for something to come into your life."

Yuri shot him a glare. "Did Flynn tell you to say that to me?" He wondered, getting peeved.

Hanks shook his head. "He's right, you know," He expressed, "We all have our roles established—I am the mayor and the caretaker of you and Flynn. Flynn is going to serve as a knight, Ted and the children in the orphanage are going to school…everyone's moving forward, except you."

Yuri inhaled a sharp breath. "Then what do you want me to do?"

"Choose," Hanks answered immediately. "I'm not saying that right now, you should but…as much as I would like you to do something, I want you to be happy with it. Do what's best for you, Yuri."

Yuri opened his mouth to say something, only to close it. Instead, he nodded and strolled over to the staircase on the other side of the room, the shuffling of his footsteps as the only noises in the entire household.

Sighing, Hanks walked over to a table where he located a framed picture. Taking it, he frowned slightly. "What should I do, Jiri?" He mumbled, his eyes fixed on a portrait of a younger version of his deceased wife. "Our boys are growing up…" A pause. "Though I can't seem to move forward from it myself."

Silence.

He chuckled slightly. "Oh, I miss you, dear…" He croaked, removing his glasses to wipe away the tears trailing on his cheeks. "More than you know."

* * *

The next two weeks were a struggle for everyone in the Lower Quarter.

For starters, one of their own—Flynn Scifo was to be temporarily stationed in the Palace until he embarks on his long-awaited pilgrimage. And to their surprise, including Flynn, Yuri decided to tag along, claiming that he'd want to join his childhood friend and foster brother just for the 'heck of it'.

Hanks stood in front of the abandoned room in which his two foster sons—Flynn and Yuri once occupied. From the bunk-beds they would often fight over, to the wooden swords they managed to carve out of wood with the help of Jiri and the tattered clothes he had to sew each time they got into a fight from the boys from the Middle Quarter.

Each object, clothing and, trinket that was left behind…held a source of memory for the three of them.

Yuri and Flynn leaving to become Knights…

His beloved Jiri passing away…

It was almost the end of the year and everything was changing.

Such a thought made Hanks suddenly realize how lonelier he was without the presence of his loved ones.

* * *

 **Hello, this is Kroissant!**

 **This might be a bit sudden but I've been having this recurring dream and I want to be able to post it before it goes away. I initially wanted to make this into a complete one-shot but based on what's going on, it'll be three to four chapters (one of them is an epilogue). Unlike the other fanfictions I am currently writing, this one is different and it's impactful.**

 **I'm going to make it as short as soon as possible-this time, I'm focusing on one of the background characters and this time, it's Hanks. I've noticed that there's a lack of information on him and wanted to take this chance to develop him more as a character.**

 **For now, please bear with me.**

 **As this fanfiction is going to be updating pretty quickly-as I've mentioned before, these are all completely unplanned and I'm just letting my dream flow as we speak.**

 **This entire fanfiction alone is inspired by the song, 'Father and Son' by Cat Stevens**

 **Oh and don't worry, rest assured-I'll still be updating SoSN and checkmate. For now, please be patient and let me write this fanfiction! Thank you so much!**

 **Also, my fascination with Yuri's mother's name is Lily is due to this:**

 **In Japanese, Yuri means Lily (and I want him to have a close connection to his mom despite not knowing her much)**

 **...And that's all.**

 **Alright, see you tomorrow!**


	2. Ex-Knight and Starting Over

_Greetings, Hanks._

 _I hope this letter finds you well._

 _This is Flynn. I am of good health and good spirits. Below is a summarization of my report—_

 _Today, which is September 18th, will mark the 60th day; approximately two months since Yuri and I joined the Imperial Knights program._

 _As of now, we are currently stationed in the small town of Shizontania. It's surprisingly a bit run-down but bustling with life. The people here are warm and welcoming, almost like a replica as the Lower Quarter so I feel quite a bit at home._

 _Our Captain, Niren Fedrock—though he can be quite phlegmatic at times, is a truly remarkable leader. Since we were recently-recruited, we are given extra supervision by him and of the seniors._

 _Honestly, I'm glad that they have done so as the skills and knightly etiquette that I've learned were because of them. In regards to the training, it's drastically different and complex as I expected it to be. Every morning when I wake up and every night before I go to sleep, I would practice my swordsmanship out in the courtyard to hone my skills for the forthcoming battles. It's hard labor and quite challenging at times, but with more time, I'm certain that I can master them by the end of this year._

 _The treatment we are being given is daunting._

 _Most of the knights that are a part of our division are comprised of nobles and of the Middle Quarter. I believe Yuri and I are the few, if not, the only two who are representing the Lower Quarter. And yes, as you may have guessed, we do often get a share of discrimination from time to time._

 _Due to our status as rookies, we were instructed to share the same room. It's funny, as it somehow reminds me of the time when we used to share everything as children. In my case, I believe this is for the best that it would give me a good reason to keep a watchful eye on Yuri._

 _Fortunately, we made friends with most of them being seniors—with the twins, Hisca and Chastel Aiheap and the vice-captain, Jurgis being one of the notable few_ _and would look out for us when someone brings up about our status. That said, there's no need to worry._

 _But enough about that._

 _You must be wondering about Yuri._

 _As always, he's reckless and doesn't think twice._

 _He would be charging into the front of the battle without having to worry about his safety or choosing not to wear his uniform when it's time for training. We're barely two months in and he's already making a mess of things._

 _Every single knight in the Niren Corps acknowledges him, including some of the ruffians belonging from a guild stationed in the same town as us. He would skip sword practice just to wander around the area, would prefer to sleep in rather than stand guard outside or patrol._

 _Luckily, Captain Niren was aware of this and had officially assigned him to be the temporary nanny of Repede—a newborn pup who's the child of Lambert, a dog-knight owned and raised by Captain Niren and his family._

 _Overall, everything is fine on our side. I don't know about Yuri but my experience here has been truly wonderful._

 _Hanks, I've been wanting to ask—_

 _How are the others there in the Lower Quarter?_

 _Are the children in the orphanage okay and safe? Is Aunt Marie still running the public inn?_

 _Let them know that I deeply miss them. Yuri might not express his emotions as much but I know, deep down, that he's worried about everyone's well-being too._

 _There is much to discuss but unfortunately, I am running out of paper to write (yes, including the back)_

 _Just want to let you know that tomorrow, we will be embarking on a great expedition to the mountains. We already have our scouting groups established—Yuri with Hisca and me with Chastel. It'll be our first big mission so I am looking forward to it._

 _That is all for now._

 _Please look forward to my next letter in a few days._

 _Best regards,_

 _Flynn_

* * *

At the sight of his foster son's name embedded below, a warm sensation filled his stomach. Adjusting his glasses, Hanks leaned back and sighed heavily.

"Hanks!"

Unfazed by the newcomer's voice, the bearded man quirked his eyebrow. Peering over his shoulder, Hanks took notice of a younger boy with shaggy, greenish hair and donning a striped shirt staring back at him with a curious look.

"Ted," Hanks greeted the boy with a nod, "Finished with homework?"

The boy named Ted beamed, shaking his head excitedly. "Uh-huh, and dinner and washing dishes…"

"That's good."

Ted smiled, quite pleased with himself. "Yeah, so now I got a lot of free time!"

As he finished his sentence, he began to climb up on the wooden table.

Watching him struggle made Hanks quickly pull out another stool underneath the table. "Sit here,"

"Thanks!" Ted chirped, and then settled himself on the seat. Once he got comfortable, something caught his eye. "Hey, whatcha got there?"

Following the direction of his finger, Hanks turned to the paper.

"News from good old' Flynn," He answered, chuckling lightly. "Would ya like to read it?"

Frowning, Ted shook his head. "Nah," He replied, "Why don't you just tell me what it's about?"

Hanks smiled. "Okay," And fixed his attention back on the letter. "Flynn says that everything is good. He's training hard to be a fine knight and says that he misses you and the others."

"Really?"

Hanks nodded in confirmation.

"And what about Yuri?" Ted pressed on, wanting to know more.

"He's…well," Hanks trailed off, taking a moment to think it through. And then the thought of his other foster son resurfaced from the back of his mind and all he could do was smile. "Yuri's just being Yuri."

Hearing this, the boy laughed.

Two months passed since Yuri and Flynn were recruited into the Knights.

Shortly after their initiation to the program, the two childhood friends were rushed off to their designated location—far away from Zaphias, from their beloved home in the Lower Quarter and from their foster father, Hanks.

With their lack of presence in the community, Hanks took it upon himself to embrace the change.

This also meant that the room which Yuri and Flynn previously occupied became available for use, allowing anyone to rent it out. And every morning, Hanks would find himself strolling out to the Public Quarter, purchase flowers and head outside the walls to visit his wife's gravestone. After that, he'd visit Lily's as well and would recite the letters that Flynn would often send to him every weekend.

In total, Hanks had about six letters in his possession—neatly tucked under his pillow on his bed, would stay up for a good while and reread them all before hitting the hay. Despite how lonely he was, owning these letters brought joy to him as they were reminders that his foster sons were alive, healthy and in good hands.

Sometimes, the letter would be accompanied by an item.

The first time was a picture—of Yuri and Flynn wearing their knightly attires, their expression somber and direct as they posed for the camera.

The third one was with a pin—an emblem of the Niren Corps that they were both recruited from.

As for the latest one, which was the sixth, it was a postcard of the town of Shizontania—befitting the description that Flynn wrote down.

Lost in his thoughts, Hanks lowered his gaze.

With Flynn providing him daily reports, he felt at ease. And yet, he couldn't help but wonder about his other foster son—Yuri.

There was Flynn who was well-versed and organized, always punctual with his letters and his training.

Luckily, he would make sure to mention his foster brother in his writing but…

"At least write a letter, damn it…" Hanks murmured softly, though was loud enough for Ted to hear.

"Hmm? Did you say something, Hanks?"

Blinking, the bearded man motioned his head to glance at the worried-looking boy. "You seem like you're down in the dumps. You feeling alright?"

Hanks tightened his lips in a straight line. Raising his arm, he plants his hand on his head and flashed him a smile. "I'm fine," He affirmed, ruffling his hair. "Anyway, you better get a move on before Marie arrives."

Ted tilted his head, unable to comprehend the meaning of his words.

On cue, a looming figure appeared.

"Ted…"

Flinching, the boy turned to the direction of the voice. He gulped. "H-hey, Marie…" He sheepishly grinned, followed shortly by a wave.

The middle-aged woman set her hands on her hips, leaning a bit forward as she shot him a glare. "What are you doing, still up? It's 10 pm! You should get to bed!" She cried, "Your brothers and sisters are already fast-asleep!"

Ted pursed his lips. He turned to sneak a glance at the bearded man who in return offered him an encouraging smile.

"Go on now," Hanks said in a gentle tone, waving his hand dismissively. "Don't want ya to get tired when you go to school tomorrow."

Ted sighed. "Oookay…" And hopped out of his seat and ran to the staircase at the far corner of the room. Before he could take the first step, he stopped and turned back to face them. "Goodnight."

"Sleep tight," Marie, the innkeeper, replied back.

Hanks nodded and watched the boy sprint up the stairs, his footsteps banging loudly against the wood. Once the noise ceased, a moment of silence ensued.

"You best go home too, Hanks," Marie spoke up, "You need rest."

"I know…" Hanks agreed, getting up on his feet and pushing the stools underneath the table. Seizing hold of the letter, he began to wobble his way over to the exit. To his surprise, Marie rushed ahead of him to open the door for him. He jerked his chin to silently acknowledge the innkeeper. "Thank you,"

Marie bobbed her head in response. "Be safe,"

After their brief exchange of farewells, the door was closed behind him and Hanks leisurely strolled to his house. Once he was in front of his door, he reached out to grab hold of the doorknob. As he twisted it and pulled the door open, he paused and peered upwards to the sky.

Of the millions of stars that twinkled across the dark horizon, one stood out to him. He furrowed his eyebrows.

That star…now that he remembered, Lily briefly mentioned about it. Something about it being a part of an urban legend or whatever.

Its name…it was at the tip of his tongue, but like the memory, it seemed so long ago that he could never seem to recall it. Removing his touch from the doorknob, Hanks enclosed his hands together in a firm grip and bowed his head.

"Give them strength, give them protection…" He murmured to no one, "Guide them to their future."

* * *

A week passed and no letter.

At first, Hanks assumed that maybe Flynn got too busy with his knightly duties or an emergency came up and he didn't have the time to sit down and write.

But then another week had gone and still, no letter.

The first few days of October hits and nothing.

Pacing back and forth in his living room, Hanks couldn't help but grow worried. Are they okay? Are they safe? What's happening over there? And then his heart nearly stopped when another thought occurred to him—oh, no…did the barrier in Shizotania break?

Quickly, he whirled his head to the framed pictures situated on the table. His tired eyes carefully inspected them one by one—the first was the younger version of his deceased wife, to a picture of a baby Yuri together with him and Jiri. And then another family picture, this time with Yuri as a seven-year-old and Flynn included. Until finally, he found himself gazing intently at the picture of Yuri and Flynn wearing their knight uniforms—the same one that Flynn sent with his last letter.

Inhaling deeply, Hanks seized the framed picture with both hands. His eyes mixed with longing and worry…hoping for their safe return.

"…You boys better be okay."

* * *

It took a few more days for Hanks to finally receive another letter.

Unlike the rest, this one was brief and short.

 _To Hanks,_

 _This is Flynn._

 _I would like to deeply apologize for not being able to write to you sooner. These past few weeks were hard to process. Captain Niren has unfortunately passed away, along with three of our comrades. Lambert, Captain Niren's faithful dog, has also deceased. Fortunately, we have Jurgis who's taking the mantle as our temporary leader. However, that's not all to this report._

 _The town's barrier has completely diminished. This means that in less than three days, monsters are bound to enter. As much as I would like to come home and visit you all, I've chosne to stay behind and help evacuate the people of Shizotania to Capua Nor._

 _For now, this is all I can offer to you._

 _Again, I apologize for making you worry but I will do what I can to write an update as soon as possible._

 _Best regards,_

 _Flynn_

Hanks narrowed his eyes, his grip tightened onto the paper as he reread the message for the umpteenth time. Though he felt rest-assured that Flynn was okay, something else was concerning him.

There was no mention of Yuri.

And that alone was enough to make him scared to the bone.

Did they have another fallout? Is he okay? If so, where is he?

More importantly, is he alive?

His ears picked up the sound of an abrupt knocking on the other side of the door. Startled, Hanks hastily scurried over to open it.

His eyes widened.

There, standing in front of him—soaked from head to toe from the intense pouring of the afternoon rain was—

"YURI!" Hanks suddenly cried, baffled by the unannounced visit of the latter. "What are you doing? Get in here!"

Nodding, the dark-haired man walked inside. Without a moment to lose, Hanks closed the door shut behind them. From the corner of his eye, he took notice of something wriggling inside his foster son's half-exposed tunic.

"Is that who I think it is?" He wondered aloud, jerking his chin at the latter's chest.

Peering downwards, Yuri cracked a smirk. Putting down his bag on the floor, he slowly pulled out his left hand from the folding of his tunic—revealing a small fur ball.

"This is Repede," He began, crouching down to place the tiny puppy next to his bag.

Releasing himself from his new owner's hold, Repede stood on his tiny hind legs and began to waddle around, forming a circle around Yuri, then Hanks before sitting down to inspect the unfamiliar environment.

"Woof!" Repede barked, switching his large pipe tucked in-between his teeth from left through right.

Fascinated by the animal, Hanks bent one knee down and reached out to touch the dog. To his surprise, Repede allowed him to do so.

"What a good boy," He commented, earning him a delightful bark in return.

"So, old man," Yuri interrupted, gaining the bearded man's attention. "You don't suppose we could crash at your place for a few days?"

Hanks crossed his arms. "You can rest here for the night, though I'm afraid you'll have to find someplace else to take shelter afterward." He explained, rejecting his request. "Since you and Flynn left, I made your old room into a guest room. Tomorrow, a traveling merchant is gonna arrive and they've already reserved the space a few days ahead."

Yuri clicked his tongue.

"Why don't you take my bed?" Hanks insisted, catching the dark-haired man off-guard. "I'll rest on the couch."

Alarmed by this, Yuri cast him a bewildered look. "Not a chance!" He countered back. Before his elder could say anything in response to his words, Yuri was already maneuvering his way over to the nearby couch and plopped himself on it.

Hanks rolled his eyes, shaking his head in dismay as he watched Yuri removing his gray leathered boots. There was already a puddle beginning to form around him and he doesn't seem to realize it. Quietly, Hanks walked to the medicine closet, opened it and seized hold of two items.

"Yuri,"

Hearing his name being called, the dark-haired man turned around. "Hmm?" His eyes widened as he saw the bearded man threw a towel straight toward him.

Luckily, he caught it in time. Inspecting the item, his eyes reverted back to its natural degree upon realizing that it was just a towel. A smile appeared on his lips as he put the towel on his dampened hair.

"Be sure to dry up," Hanks spoke up from nearby, "Don't want ya to start getting sick on your first day back."

Yuri snorted. "Whatever you say," And then raised his arm, gesturing for the wandering puppy to come over.

Hanks smiled as his foster son welcomed Repede into his arms and with his available hand, started to dry his wet fur with another towel.

"If ya need some extra clothes, feel free to rummage through my cabinet," Hanks added in, "Put your wet ones in the hamper and I'll get Marie to dry them up for ya."

"Thanks…" Yuri muttered without bothering to lock eyes with him as he fixated his concentration on the little pup on his lap.

"I'll start preparing our supper," Hanks announced, breaking the brief silence in the room. Catching sight of Yuri's widened eyes and open mouth, he knew what was about to come. "And no, I don't need your help. Your main priority right now is your health and Repede's."

Yuri closed his mouth, shifting his eyes from his foster father, then at Repede and then back to the latter. Nodding his head, he went back to work.

Hanks let out an exasperated sigh. He twirled his body around and proceeded to take a few steps ahead, only to pause briefly in his tracks. Collecting his hands behind his back, he called out Yuri's name.

"Yeah?"

"Welcome back."

Registering his words, Yuri cracked a bold smirk. "Thanks," He replied, "It's good to be back."

* * *

After dinner, Yuri filled Hanks in on what happened in the last three months.

The mission in the mountains was deemed successful, though the outcome of it had opened a can of worms.

Captain Niren advised Flynn to request for more reinforcements but was unfortunately admonished by the Commandant himself, Alexei Dinoia.

With only ten to fifteen knights left and timing running out for the townspeople, Captain Niren teamed up with the same guild stationed in the town. Turns out—he and the guild leader were old pals and decided to collaborate for this one mission. Once again, their daring exploits proved to be successful…however, in exchange for the townspeople's protection, Niren sacrificed himself.

During the conversation, Yuri brought up of Niren's life—how his wife and daughter were killed while he was drowning in his knightly duties and how his heroic endeavors remained unacknowledged by the Council and the Imperial Knights.

Little by little, Yuri began to loathe the rules laid out by the government, how arrogant and egotistical they were and not having to care of their knights' or the peoples' lives—so long as they remained the head of the government and that everything was going their way, they would never submit.

Yuri confessed how much he badly wanted to get out of there.

And Niren's sacrifice became the trigger he needed to finally walk away—with the first thing that came to mind was the Lower Quarter.

"…So, you and Flynn still in good terms?" Hanks asked, changing the topic.

Yuri shrugged. "I mean, he was okay about it." He admitted, raking a hand through his long mane and sighing. "He wished me the best and that was it." A light chuckle escaped his throat as he added, "Good thing I walked out when I got the chance. If I had chosen to stay there, I would've gotten an earful and a beating from him."

Hanks chuckled as well. "So tell me, what are your plans from here on out?"

Again, Yuri shrugged his shoulders. "Beats me." He drawled out, putting his arms behind his back and staring up at the ceiling. "All I know is that I never wanna be a knight again."

"If you're interested, you could always help at the inn," Hanks went on, "Marie's got her hands full with Ted and the kids. And with her being the only one running the building, she doesn't have time to do the cooking." Crossing his arms over his chest, he continued. "You're good with cooking, right, Yuri?"

The dark-haired man pursed his lips. "Depends on the kind of dish." He said casually, "What does she want? Stir-fry noodles? Rice balls? Crepes?"

Hanks frowned. He had a good point.

"Who knows? The best thing to do is talk to her," He suggested. And then another thought occurred to him. "If I remember correctly, I believe she mentioned having a spare room upstairs."

Yuri smiled. "If I take the job, do you think she'll give me the room?"

Hanks chuckled. "Probably,"

Yuri's grin widened, his words music to his ears.

The following day, the house was bombarded with men, women, and children—all anxious and excited to see Yuri again. Though the meeting was brief, the community insisted that they would hold a celebration for him at the inn later that night.

Once everyone left, Yuri went off to visit the inn to find Marie.

After a heated debate between both sides, the middle-aged innkeeper eventually settled with his offer but with a few adjustments—in addition to cooking, he'd have to buy the groceries in the Public Quarter and escort Ted and the other orphans to their school seven times per week. To balance this, Yuri would be occupying the small room upstairs, located next to the stairs.

Later that day, Yuri began to move into his new room. He took his belongings, the Second Star sword and a few clothes which Hanks had to keep for him until he returned.

Ted and the children from the orphanage decided to pitch in their allowances to purchase a doggy bowl and blanket for the little pup Repede. The men and children also joined as they built hangers for him to put his swords up for display and extra pillows and blankets from their respective houses.

Times like these, Yuri couldn't help but feel fortunate to have such people in his life. The friendliness and hospitality of the Lower Quarter…this must be exactly the reason why his deceased mother decided to remain here and called it her home.

And as promised, later that night—in commemoration of his homecoming, a celebration ensued.

Marie, the innkeeper, surprised Yuri with a strawberry shortcake she made for him earlier that afternoon and the children showered him with drawings of him and Repede looking all heroic and fighting against the bad monsters. While the children played with Repede outside, inside the inn was a different scenario as the able men, women and, elders encouraged Yuri to drink with them.

Yuri happily took the offer, already downing in three alcoholic shots in under two minutes. Before he could go on with the fourth one, Hanks luckily stepped in and scolded them for having to let a minor like Yuri, who was only eighteen, consume a lot.

Though he was worried for his foster son's health, he couldn't help but feel grateful that in the end, Lily's genes kicked in as the woman herself was renowned to have a surprisingly high tolerance when it came to drinking. And luckily, this was the same for Yuri.

Slowly, the crowds of people diminished with Ted and the children being the first to hit the hay.

And by the struck of midnight, so did the men and women—bringing the entire celebration to a pleasant end.

"Go on and rest now," Hanks urged his foster son, who stood idly near the door of his new room. "Tomorrow's gonna be a busy day."

Yuri nodded, "'Night," He said, waving a hand before entering in.

Hanks lowered his gaze to lock eyes with the little puppy. "You too, Repede," He said, smiling. "Go on,"

Repede barked in reply, waggling his tail animatedly as he rushed inside after his new owner.

Once the door closed and silence filled the air, Hanks couldn't help but feel that something was amiss. Even so, he brushed it off and went on his merry way. With Yuri returning to the community, he knew that in a few short days, the Lower Quarter was bound to get livelier. As he sauntered past the giant fountain, he stopped to take a look at the clear, night sky.

There it was again—the brightest star.

Upon the sight, his lips crinkled to form a smile. "Thank you," He muttered lowly to himself, bowing his head a little. "Thank you for bringing him back home."

* * *

 **Hello, everyone! This is Kroissant!**

 **Sorry for the long wait, but I managed to spare some time off my hands to write this chapter. I'm glad to hear that there are people who are reading this and are having a good time!**

 **As you might have guessed, yes-the star that Hanks is referring to is Brave Vesperia.**

 **And most of the accounts here, as described by Yuri and Flynn are based on what happened in the movie.**

 **Slowly, we are beginning to see the beginning of the game and also, the timeline!**

 **As promised, the next chapter will be up tomorrow. Please look forward to it!**

 **Feel free to comment if you'd like! I'm eager to hear your opinions and criticisms!**

 **I forgot to point out that Jiri, Hanks's (deceased) wife, is actually a real character and she shows up in the light novels. The brief description of Yuri's mom having long black hair and his father's unknown identity is also canon but the rest? I just filled out the plot holes from there.**

 **And as you might have guessed, this chapter marks the beginning and end of Yuri's career as a knight. Which means one thing-it's heavy on mentions of the First Strike movie.**

 **Okay, that's it for now!**

 **Have fun reading and I'll see you tomorrow!**

 **P.S. Feel free to comment! I'm eager to read your opinions and criticisms!**


	3. Daily Routine of a Selfish Young Man

It's only been about a few weeks since Yuri returned and he was slowly getting accustomed to his daily life in the Lower Quarter—waking up early to prepare some breakfast for the common folks living in the public inn. And as promised, would escort Ted and the orphans to their school and vice versa, purchase the groceries along the way, and during his spare time, would practice swordsmanship and walk Repede.

Aside from the new adjustments, Yuri adapted well with it. All in all, everything was back to normal and how it should be.

…Or so, it seems.

On October 30th, the Council proclaimed that starting on the first day of November, that there would be a weekly collection of taxes throughout the Capital City of Zaphias. In addition to this, they also stated that any able men, women, and elderly who refused to pay would be imprisoned.

Unsurprisingly, the Council did not provide a proper explanation behind their decree.

Of the many Quarters within Zaphias, it was the Lower Quarter that was severely hit as the majority of its population were the poor. As the leader of the community, Hanks advised them not to worry and that he'd do what he can to convince the tax collectors to minimize their individual payments or to at least extend it to allow them more time to gather more Gald.

The day arrived and a tall, scrawny Imperial knight was sent into their neighborhood to collect the taxes. To Hanks and the others' dismay, the knight denied their initial plan and publicly announced that in three hours, the rest of his division, the Schwann Bridge, would come in and escort every single individual to the palace prison.

But as luck would've had it, Yuri came in at the nick of time—or rather, jumped out from his window and began to confront with the knight. What followed next was a series of taunts and verbal comebacks and in the end, Yuri managed to get the upper hand by successfully outwitting the knight. And before anyone knew it, Yuri landed a roundhouse kick—throwing the knight into the cold river.

Yuri's feats were well-received by the people and children, all except Hanks who heavily scolded him later that afternoon for pulling such a stunt.

"Now you've gone and done it!" The bearded man exclaimed as he instinctively pulled the shell of his foster son's left ear in annoyance. "What the hell were you thinking?! You're gonna get yourself arrested!"

"I did what I had to do!" Yuri countered back, brushing away the latter's touch and nursing his slightly swollen ear with the back of his hand. "Obviously, there was a problem and I solved it! Simple as that!"

Hanks shook his head, followed by a heavy sigh.

"Yuri, you don't understand…" He groaned, massaging his wrinkly forehead. "The knight that you got rid of…yes, he's gone for the day but more will be coming." Peering up to face the dark-haired man once more, he shot him a glare and added, "Your actions bear consequences. And they will continue piling up if you don't change your way of thinking. Throwing people into rivers or challenging them in a fight…those are not morally right."

Yuri crossed his arms over his chest, rolling his eyes as he looked the other way.

Hanks watched as the latter picked his feet up on the wooden table and said nothing in response. He emitted another sigh. He switched his focus to his surroundings, remaining unfazed by the surprised looks of their spectators within close range.

Moving his head toward the right, he found Marie and Ted behind the counter, who both offered him a sympathetic smile. He then fixated his attention back to his foster son who seemed to be ignoring him and was preoccupied with the little puppy resting on his lap.

Clearly, he was peeved.

And knowing him and how stubborn he was, he wouldn't dare to make eye contact with the latter for god knows how long.

"You know what? Do whatever the hell you want," Hanks finally spoke up, shaking his head. "I've got my own problems to worry about and you've got yours." Turning around, he wobbled his way toward the entrance of the public inn. "I'll see you in the evening for supper." He didn't bother to wait for a reply as he left the scene, ignoring the many eyes and growing whispers around him.

And that was the end of their discussion.

Later that night, Marie, Ted, and even Repede dropped by to join the bearded man for dinner. And as predicted, Yuri didn't show up.

The next day arrived and this time, another knight—one of short stature and chubby physique showed up. Like his previous subordinate, he demanded the collection of the taxes among the community. Again, Hanks stepped in to address their current situation and what he received in response was the usual rejection.

It didn't take long before Yuri jumped in to save the day.

However, what he did next baffle the others.

Dropping his sword in the ground, he raised his arms above his head in surrender.

"What in the world are you doing, Yuri?" Hanks cried out, gaining his foster son's attention.

Turning around, Yuri gave him a cheeky grin. "What does it look like I'm doing?" And then veered his attention back to the knight who aimed a spear at him.

"Spare them from their taxes and take me in," Yuri declared, surprising everyone.

The knight looked at him as if he grew two heads. "Wait…you must be the one who threw Adecor into the river!" He accused, "Long, dark hair…weird clothing…" His eyes slowly widened upon realization. "It IS you!"

An impish smirk appeared on Yuri's lips as he lowered his hands to crack his knuckles. "Seems you already know me," He replied, "Guess this means you already know what's coming for you."

When the short knight shot him a glare and began to recite the regulations of the decree, the dark-haired man let out an exasperated sigh.

"Oh, brother…" He muttered lowly under his breath. "Look, I don't have the time to dawdle around. Are you gonna arrest me or not?"

After much consideration, the knight eventually agreed to his offer. Everyone in the Lower Quarter stared in horror as Yuri was ushered away from them. Hanks was left devastated the most as he stood frozen and helpless.

It wasn't until he heard his name being called that he realized that his mouth was still open.

"Hey, Hanks?"

Blinking, the bearded man cried out in his croaky voice, "Yes, Yuri?"

"Take care of Repede for me, alright?" Yuri replied, flashing him a grin. "I'll be back before you know it."

Surprised by his words, Hanks couldn't help but shake his head. Even so, he couldn't contain the laughter trapped in his throat. "You better keep your word, boy,"

And just like that, he was gone.

While the crowd shrunk to a few numbers, Hanks remained in his spot with his hands collected behind his back. Something tugged the end of his shirt, catching his attention. He lowered his head, his once dazed expression becoming soft as he was greeted with one of the little girls from the orphanage.

"…Is big brother Yuri gonna be okay?" She asked in concern.

Hanks grinned, bringing his hand forward and placing it on top of her head. "He's fine," He assured her, "This isn't the first time he's gotten himself into trouble."

* * *

For the entire month of November, there was no knight who dared dropped by at the Lower Quarter. And shortly after, to the community's surprise, Yuri was discharged early and had returned as he promised…but he wasn't alone.

"Well, this is quite the surprise!" Hanks laughed joyfully as he emerged from the crowd to approach the two young men before him. With his eyes focused in on the tall blonde man, he chuckled. "Great to see you again, Flynn,"

Setting his hand on his hip, Yuri sighed. "A hello would've been great but yeah, sure," He murmured, shrugging his shoulders.

Hearing this, his foster brother rolled his eyes.

"It's nice to see you too, Hanks," Flynn began, bowing his head a little. "And I see that everyone here is doing well."

"We've got a lot to catch up on!" Hanks began, coming forward. "Why don't we head on over to the inn? I'm sure Marie would whip up something nice for ya and— "

Flynn shook his head. "No, there's no need," He said, declining the offer. "I'm just here to escort Yuri, who by the way…" As he trailed off his words, he proceeded to shoot his childhood friend a menacing glare. "Should say thank you."

"Why would I need to?" Yuri scoffed. "For your information, I would've handled everything on my own."

"When Captain Schwann informed me that one of his men picked up some idiot who decided to go against the rules, I was hoping that it wouldn't be you." Flynn countered back. As he finished his sentence, he groaned. "But, of course…"

"Of course," Yuri repeated after him, nodding along and grinning mischievously.

Flynn clenched his teeth. "Have you no shame?" He raised his voice, "You left the knights for barely a month and you've already made a name for yourself as a tax offender!"

"It's none of your damn business, Flynn," Yuri countered, glaring. "I did what I had to do!"

"Don't give me that load of crap!" Flynn remarked, pointing a finger directly at him. "Anyway, you should be grateful that I happened to be patrolling the palace or you would've been rotting in that jail cell!"

"What are you talking about? You deprived me of the free meals!" Yuri barked, getting peeved. "Free meals, Flynn, that I would've bought with my own Gald but you just had to take all of that way!"

While the two were at each other's throats, the people looked at each other with smiles.

Hanks, on the other hand, was tapping his right foot impatiently on the ground. Repede, who sat next to him, stuck out his tongue and let out a yawn.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!"

The two men flinched in their spots and turned to their foster father, who was already sick and tired of their pointless bickering. "What happened to yer manners, huh?" And then the next set of his words caught them off-guard. "If you wanna settle things, go beyond the walls and fight it out or whatever! But I forbid either of you from causing a commotion here!"

Yuri and Flynn cast looks at each other, then back at their foster father and the community. Seconds later, the two relaxed their shoulders followed by soft mutterings of "I deeply apologize," and "He started it."

Meanwhile, the crowd was stifling their chuckles.

Shaking his head, the corners of Hanks's mouth turned up. "I see that you boys still got some learning to do…"

"Anyway, I better get going," Flynn interrupted, "As I said before, I only came here to escort Yuri back. I still got some duties to attend to."

Yuri snorted. "Good riddance then,"

Flynn nudged the other male with his elbow. Ignoring his foster brother's words, he shaped his hand into a fist.

Taking note of this, Yuri did the same. Bumping their fists together, Hanks intruded him, letting Flynn be aware that the next time he pays a visit, there will be a celebration.

Nodding, Flynn forced a grin. "I look forward to it."

Slowly, he bent his knees down to affectionately pat little Repede's head, then went on to exchange farewells with Hanks, and the rest of the community. Once his presence disappeared from the long, winding stairs overhead, all eyes were directed at Yuri.

Sensing eyes on him, the dark-haired man arched an eyebrow. "What?"

On cue, Ted broke the silence. "You're lucky that Flynn was around to bail you."

"You know the drill," Marie insisted, walking forward with two little girls holding each side of her hands. "Be sure to make up with him by cooking his favorites."

Yuri gave a half shrug.

Catching sight of his downcast eyes, Hanks cleared up his throat. "Okay, everyone, that's enough now," He spoke up, clapping his hands to gain their attention. "Now that Yuri's back, let's give him some space so he can rest and reflect on his actions."

The men, women, and children abided his order and left to continue their duties.

"…Thanks."

Registering his words, Hanks sighed. "You best move along now," He said in a steady tone, squatting down to get the tiny puppy from the ground. He then bestowed Repede toward his foster son who silently accepted the offer.

Without another word, Yuri left.

Unknown to him, Hanks remained in place, watching him from a distance.

* * *

Later that night, Hanks found Yuri again—alone and sitting on one of the box crates situated next to the staircase that led up to his room.

From the looks of it, he seemed to be concentrated on a row of glass bottles that were lined up on another crate box as it was located across from him. Frowning, he took the first pebble from the pile next to him, rubbed the smooth surface a few times before throwing it at the first bottle.

And then another, and another and another.

His lips straightened in a thin line as he silently counted the bottles he managed to hit—so far, only one out of four.

Following the sound of glass breaking was a bark coming from his tiny companion who quickly raced over to snatch the pebble that was luckily a few feet away from the mess and rushed back to his owner.

"Thanks, Repede," Yuri managed to say as he inclined his body forward and seized the pebble that the puppy was offering him.

As he got a hold of the round object, he stared at it, his frown deepening.

All of a sudden, Yuri swung his arm as hard as he could.

Completely missing the last and final bottle, he released an aggravated groan.

"…Rusty, aren't ya?"

Alarmed, Yuri quickly turned his head to the direction of the voice. Upon recognizing the familiar figure of his foster father, he relaxed. "Oh, it's just you."

"You don't look well," Hanks points out, approaching him. "Something's bothering you." When he received no response from the latter, he sighed. "You know, it's not good to keep it in."

"Let me guess," Yuri began, avoiding eye contact. "You here to lecture me again? Or are you gonna compare me to how Flynn's been doing?"

Hanks gave him a look. "You know I don't do that,"

Rolling his eyes, Yuri scoffed. "Everyone here apparently does," He muttered, crossing his arms over his chest. "And don't get me started with how they idolize him."

"Let them gossip all they want…" Hanks trailed off, comforting him. "Their opinions don't validate who you are."

When the silence dragged on, Hanks leaned his back against the wall and continued. "You and Flynn are different. Tails and heads, day and night, but in the end, the two of you share similar ambitions. Both of you are striving for the same goal but in your own ways. Flynn is still pursuing knighthood because he knows how corrupted the Council is and believes that it's the only way to change the system on the inside. That's why he works vigorously so that one day when he is of high standing, he'll be able to acquire the power to change it. You, on the other hand…"

"Yeah, yeah," Yuri drawled out, waving his hand dismissively. "The devil's advocate or whatever."

To his surprise, Hanks shook his head to debunk this.

"I know you, Yuri. You don't do things just because it's convenient or that you enjoy stirring things up. No, you do it because of something else. While Flynn perceives the problems as large, you see it as something small." He veered downwards and spotted Repede in-between his legs. Smiling, the bearded man scooped the puppy up from the ground and placed him on top of the box crater where his foster son was idly sitting.

"Like with what happened with the tax collectors about a month ago. Your objective was to get rid of him and that's it. If Flynn was in your place, he would've let it slide and feel guilty afterward. However, knowing him, he would be sure to jot it down in his notebook as one of his motivators to continue his apprenticeship as a knight."

Hanks moved his head to face his foster son once more, his eyes sharp yet his wrinkly face was softened. "The Lower Quarter may be idolizing Flynn now, but in time, you'll get them to see you in a different light as well. It just takes time, you know?"

"I don't care if they see me the way they see Flynn," Yuri confessed, hanging his head. "I just…"

Hanks nodded along, patiently waiting for his next words.

But then a minute or so passed and still, no answer.

"No need to say it now," Hanks assured him, "You're only nineteen. Still got a few more years to think about what you really wanna do in yer life."

Yuri snuck a glance at the bearded man with an unreadable expression.

"Whatever you decide to do," Hanks pressed on, reverting his gaze at the dark-haired man. "Just remember that we're here for you. Always."

Yuri cracked a smile, then peered up at the heavens.

His eyes widened a little as he took in the appearance of the brightest star.

"…Always, huh?"

* * *

Time went on in the Lower Quarter and before anyone knew it, two years had passed.

Within the span of these two years, Yuri had reached the age of twenty-one—officially making him a full-fledged adult (along with perks of drinking).

Though his appearance remained the same like his signature long, dark mane and half-exposed tunic, Hanks noticed the minor details that did change—him growing a few more inches in height, his body a bit leaner and slightly more toned as a result of partaking with dueling against Flynn during his spare time.

Repede grew up as well, eventually receiving a lightning bolt-shaped scar vertically across one of his damaged eyes as a result of him protecting the dog and cat population within Zaphias.

With Yuri's small earnings from his part-time job as a cook in the public inn, the canine drastically changed his appearance into that of warrior—with a long, metallic chain sporting around his collar and a belt around his mid-waist to secure a knife as a weapon. And naturally, wherever Yuri goes, his faithful dog follows suit, becoming his accomplice as the latter ventures off to commence his shenanigans.

As for Yuri's reputation, he was beginning to make a name for himself—especially with the Imperial Knights. Due to his constant confrontations with the Schwann Brigade who became the regular tax collectors in their area—with Yuri labeling the tall, scrawny one Tweedle A and the short, chubby one Tweedle B, and then their subdivision leader, LeBlanc.

Besides the usual taunting and kicking them into the river, in a typical Yuri fashion, he challenged them into duels. If he wins, they won't have to collect the taxes in the next month.

If he lost, he'll have to go back to jail and the community would have no choice but to submit their life savings. Of the many encounters, they've faced, Yuri remained triumphant as his winning streak was nineteen to five—with the latter being that Flynn had to step in, once again bail him out and convince the Schwann Brigade to give the community more time.

At times when they refused to budge, Flynn had no choice but to use his next few months of salary and devote them to paying the taxes that were initially for the Lower Quarter. When Yuri received word of this, he was displeased with how his childhood friend had to burden himself with so many loans.

To make ends meet, the two negotiated and forged a settlement—that they would be the ones who would shoulder the taxes for their people. Combined with Yuri's decent amount of Gald he managed to save up, including with the one during his time as a rookie knight, their determination to spare the Lower Quarter from the tax collecting was slowly coming to fruition.

However, there was one condition to this.

Since Flynn was temporarily stationed at the palace, this meant that Yuri would have to constantly visit to hand over the Gald. Yuri's original plan, which was to climb up the grand building was immediately disapproved by the latter. In the end, they eventually settled with Yuri having to arrange constant meetings with the Schwann Brigade, rile them up for a duel and get himself in jail.

…And for Flynn to bail him out by escorting him to his own room and letting him flee through his window (which so happened to be located on the third floor but they rather not discuss that).

In short, their plan was set and so far, was working like a charm.

Luckily on Flynn's end, nobody was suspecting him to be partnering with Yuri, who was unfortunately given the short end of the stick. While Flynn was blessed with a clean slate bearing no charges, Yuri got himself numerous accounts of offensive allegations—with solicitation and attempts of assaults prior to his challenges of dueling against a certain brigade being two of the common ones.

And then one day, Flynn arrived to visit the Lower Quarter.

Hanks and the community celebrated not only for his brief return but was given news—as of yesterday, Flynn was ranked up from a rookie to being the right-hand man of one of the lesser-known captains. Unlike Yuri's which took place mostly at night, Flynn's was during the day.

And much to Yuri's annoyance (and Marie's constant pestering), he was able to make a lot of dishes that his childhood friend/foster brother enjoyed—such a momentous occasion that Hanks and the rest of the Lower Quarter took pleasure in appreciating.

As the celebration drew to a close, Flynn ushered his foster father, brother, and Repede outside the inn, in the open space where nobody would dare listen on them.

"Starting tomorrow, I'll be leaving Zaphias for another pilgrimage." Flynn began, his expression serious.

Yuri quirked an eyebrow. "Really? Another one?"

Flynn nodded in confirmation. "I want you three to be the first to know. And well…" He stopped for a moment to think over his words. "if I don't come back, then…"

"Now, now, don't start jinxing about anything," Hanks cuts him off. "It's good that you're letting us know ahead of time." His eyes softened as he added in, "Take care in your journey. We'll be here waiting for your safe return."

Flynn smiled. "Thank you," And bowed in respect. He then turned to face Yuri, who stared at him with a blank look.

"Good luck out there," Yuri finally spoke up, bringing his hand to squeeze the latter's shoulder. "You got this,"

Surprised by the latter's encouragement, Flynn chuckled. "Will do," And then raised his fist, to which the other happily reciprocated. Directing his focus back to the bearded man, he noted, "I'll be sure to send you a letter."

"Take yer time," Hanks assured him as he pushed his glasses to the bridge of his nose.

Again, Flynn nodded firmly. "Right."

* * *

The third week of March was beginning to show signs of an omen.

It began with the news of a small neighboring town becoming invaded and demolished by a swarm of monsters. The likelihood of any survivors was predetermined to count.

And then, out of nowhere, the aque blastia on the fountain stopped working, which meant that the entire Lower Quarter was devoid of any fresh water to use for their daily necessities. The alternative was to resort to getting their water from the river…though, not the popular option as it was known to be mixed with bacteria and other composites.

Hanks had no choice but to sell a memento that reminded him of his beloved Jiri—a silver necklace that she often uses to put her engagement ring on whenever she went to work. With his foster son, Yuri, not around to scold him as he was preoccupied with taking care of Ted and the children at the public inn as Marie was currently away to go to the market, it became less difficult for Hanks to be able to part with the keepsake.

Shortly after selling it, he managed to get in touch with a mage who claims to be knowledgeable and skilled when it comes to fixing malfunctioning blastia orbs.

His name?

Mordio.

* * *

 **Hello again, this is Kroissant!**

 **and that's a wrap up of chapter 3-tomorrow/next Monday is going to be the start of the game (though with a few adjustments as this fanfiction is heavily restricted toward Hanks's POV)**

 **That said, a new character will enter the picture-you should know~**  
 **and afterward, the Yustelle fluff will begin!**

 **I've realized that my original plan was supposed to be three to four chapters and that's it. But due to the overwhelming support from all of you and how the events are being carried out, I would have to extend it to at least three more chapters-which is a total of 7 chapters (plus, an epilogue).**

 **The title of this chapter is inspired by the main theme that you'd hear when you arrive at the Lower Quarter (also, the title itself is quite befitting the whole chapter).**

 **Again, feel free to write a comment! I'm eager to hear your opinions and criticisms!**

 **Okay, that's all for now!**

 **See you hopefully tomorrow or if not, next Monday!**


	4. The Wolf and the Moon

What was supposed to be a beautiful, clear day turned out to be a spiraling disaster.

While sleeping in his bed, Hanks was suddenly awoken by an explosion from outside. Jolting upright, he unconsciously took hold of his glasses from the bedside table and began weaving his way over to the open window across his room. Putting the glasses on his face, he blinked a few times and leaned out.

His eyes widened.

"Oh, no…"

Quickly, he slipped into his casual clothes and shoes, went down the staircase and busted the door open. Looking around, he took notice of Marie, Ted, and a few of the other children from a distance.

Raising his arm high, the bearded man cried with all his might, "GET BACK!"

Heeding his words, some of the crowds of people, including the middle-aged innkeeper and the children behind her abided his words and went off in search for higher ground.

"EVERYONE, GRAB SOME SANDBAGS!" Hanks instructed, his voice full of authority as he, too walked over to the direction of where a large heap of bags made of sand was located. "WE NEED TO STOP THE WATER FROM OVERFLOODING!"

And so, the able men and women went straight to work—gathering altogether to the same place and grabbing as many sandbags as they possibly could. While the women and some elderly gathered the items, it was the men who took the responsibility of filling the circular surface around the fountain with the sandbags.

Hanks joined in as well, mustering much of his strength to concentrate on the heavy lifting. While everyone was fulfilling their duties to protect each other, the bearded man looked around, his eyes narrowing as he tried to find a certain dark-haired man amongst the crowd.

When he couldn't find him through the frantic crowd and the waterworks, Hanks clenched his teeth and whirled his head around to face a nearby child. "Ted!" He suddenly cried, "Go and fetch Yuri!"

Nodding, the boy ran off toward the direction of the public inn.

"Hanks, let me help you!"

Hearing Marie's plea behind him, the bearded man furiously shook his head. "No, you must take care of the children!" He insisted in an urgent manner, "We mustn't let anyone else get close!" And reverted his concentration on collecting more sandbags and throwing them near the growing pile next to the fountain. "Damn it, Yuri…where are you?"

A few minutes later, his ears picked up a familiar baritone voice.

Smiling, he paused on what he was doing and directed his line of vision at his foster son who stood a few distances away from him. He then took notice of his faithful dog, Repede, who sat idly next to a frightened little girl and her mother. Straightening his posture and setting his hand on his hip, Hanks greeted him with, "Glad you could find the time to stop by, Yuri!"

Yuri flashed a grin, following his example by placing his hand on his hip as well. "Take it easy with the water sports, old man." He replied back rather casually, "You're not getting any younger."

"You're up next," Hanks called out on the other side of the fountain. "Not afraid of a little water, I hope." He didn't bother to stand any longer to hear the latter's response as he went straight back to work. Once more, he squatted his knees and took hold of a sandbag. "Come on now, put your backs into it!" He cried aloud, tossing the heavy item near the fountain. "Heave, ho!"

Now that Yuri was in the picture, the dreadful taste in his mouth had dissipated as he geared himself to work. Deep down, he knew that this was his fault. About a week before the incident, he pushed the entire community to get together and use some of their Gald for the repairs. And when the amount wasn't enough, he had no choice but to part with his beloved Jiri's keepsake which was her silver necklace.

If Yuri found out about this, who knows what kind of argument they'd get themselves into.

Brushing the thought off, Hanks continued on with the hard labor as he chose to ignore the aching weight from carrying too many supplies.

From the corner of his eye, he noticed his foster son standing idly from afar.

"Hey, Yuri," He called out once more, "If yer not gonna help out, stand clear! This is dangerous!"

Much to his dismay, the latter ignored his warning and approached him.

"Hanks, did you see the blastia core anywhere?" Yuri began, "You know, that shiny piece in the center?"

Progressing his words, the bearded man froze in his place. Loosening his grip on a sandbag, he slowly stood up and peered up to lock eyes with the swordsman. "…Is it gone?"

"Yeah," Yuri answered, confirming his suspicions. "The blastia won't work with the core missing." Mulling the thought over, he pressed on. "That aristocrat who came to do the repairs was the last person to touch it, right?"

Hanks nodded. "That's right," He replied back, "a Mr. Mordio."

"And he lives in the royal quarter?"

"Yeah, so?" Sighing, the bearded man turned his back and said, "Forget about that, Yuri. Give us a hand here!"

Unsurprisingly, Yuri rejected his offer, claiming that he had an errand to run.

As he watched his foster son begin to walk away, Hanks cried, "Hey, wait just a minute!" And chased after him. Once they were at mere distance from one another, he crossed his arms and added, "You're seriously thinking of going to Mr. Mordio's place, are ya?"

Angling his body around, Yuri lifted his hand and waved it. "The royal quarter?" He asked, his eyebrow raised. "Me? I wouldn't be caught dead going to a place like that. It gives me the creeps." Again, he started making his way up the road that would lead him to the Public Quarter. Seconds later, Repede joined in to follow after him.

All Hanks could do was sigh. "Damn it, Yuri…" He groaned, followed by a low curse under his breath. "Just because you can do a few tricks with that Bodhi blastia of yours, you think you're invincible." Shrugging his shoulders, he hastily made his way to the edge of the chaos. "Here's hoping he doesn't do anything crazy…"

On cue, another voice rang out, catching his attention.

"He always seems to cause problems when the lower quarter's involved," One of the men spoke up.

Hanks inhaled a sharp breath and exhaled. "Even the Knights have started keeping an eye on him…" He stressed, his voice slightly cracking.

Sensing his worry, the man assured his elder that the swordsman was gonna be fine. "It's just an average day for him."

Peering over his shoulder, Hanks looked on to the road overhead, his tired eyes full of worry.

* * *

Through the collaborated efforts of the Lower Quarter, they managed to get the surge of water from the fountain to subside. Once that was done, Hanks instructed the able men and women to tend to the injured prior to the earlier spout.

As it turns out, the mage—by the name of Mr. Mordio, who was supposed to fix the aque blastia later in the afternoon, had gone and left the Lower Quarter. And in the wake of his disappearance, an explosion erupted from within the fountain, spawning a tremendous amount of fresh water to burst out with great force.

Knowing that, Hanks felt disappointed in himself. How foolish he was to easily get hoodwinked and declared to the community that he'd do what he can to pay them back.

Excusing himself from the crowd, he fixated his eyes at the long, winding road up ahead.

"Woof!"

Hanks turned to face the canine who stared at him with a look of understanding.

Nightfall arrived and still, there was no sign of his foster son.

After supper, the bearded man strolled outside and gazed intently at the entrance to the Public Quarter, hoping, waiting, and praying for his foster son to return safely. Luckily, he wasn't alone as Repede, Marie, Ted, and even a few elders who were close to the dark-haired man joined him and delivered words of comfort to the worrisome father.

* * *

Soon, it was morning.

Skipping breakfast, Hanks took the time to patrol around the area. Accompanied by one of the little girls from the orphanage, he sat on one of the corners near the fountain and stared off into the distance.

A scampering of footsteps caught his attention and he slowly got up from his seat. Looking up, his eyes lengthened in size as he saw his foster son strolling around the perimeter of the public square. "Yuri!" He called loudly, startling the latter. "Where've you been?"

Directing his fixation on the bearded man, Yuri shrugged his shoulders. "I got an invitation to the castle and had the most marvelous time."

Hanks shook his head, a bit annoyed yet secretly grateful to see him unscathed. "Of all the…" And then he saw her—not too far away from where his foster son stood was a pink-haired woman donning a white and pink dress, accentuated with golden hues. Shifting his eyes from left through right, he cleared his throat and asked, "And who's the young lady?"

Before he could take a step forward, the woman beat him to it. "Pleased to meet you," She greeted, her voice soft and polite. "I'm Estellise." And bowed her head in respect.

Hanks returned her gesture. "The pleasure's all mine, Miss." Giving her a nod and a gentle smile, he wasted no time and strolled over to his foster son who appeared to be watching their interaction in amusement.

"More importantly, about those Imperial Knights…" Hanks began, changing the topic. "They've been so busy looking for you, they haven't paid any attention to our fiasco down here." Crossing his arms over his chest, he furrowed his eyebrows. "So, you've managed to tick them off, huh?"

"It looks that way," Yuri answered him, his expression apathetic. "Has Repede come back yet?"

"Sure did, and he was carrying some bag."

"What happened to it?" Yuri pressed on.

Thinking it over, Hanks eventually settled with, "Should be up in his room."

"Go pick it up later," Yuri suggested, smirking. "Give it a shake. It has a nice jingle to it. Mordio liked it too."

Hanks blinked his eyes, surprised by his words. "You met Mr. Mordio?"

"Yeah, but the rat left town. Apparently, he's some big shot hailing from a city called Aspio."

Nodding, the bearded man sighed. "Left town, huh?" He muttered, his eyes downcast. "Then that means…we've been hoodwinked."

"Afraid so," Yuri confirmed, placing his hand under his chin as a memory resurfaced from the back of his mind. "His house was empty, and I doubt he's even a real noble."

"…I see."

Tipping his head to the side, the dark-haired man noticed that the fountain was drained of water. Excluding the large wagons and crates of boxes, the sandbags that the people were tossing earlier were nowhere to be found. "On the bright side," Yuri continued, "Looks like the aque blastia's finally stopped leaking water."

Switching his focus to the fountain behind him, Hanks sighed. "Well, without a core, it won't budge."

"Is there enough water for the time being?" Yuri wondered aloud.

"Yeah, but it won't last long," Hanks expressed, wrapping himself with his arms. "After that, we'll just get it from the river. Get the runs, though."

Yuri narrowed his eyes. "And the Knights aren't going to help. Guess I'll have to get it back from the thief myself."

Alarmed, Hanks swiftly moved his head over his shoulder to face his foster son. "What? You aren't thinking of following Mordio beyond the barrier, are ya?"

The dark-haired man grinned. "Don't worry," He assured him, "I'll be back before you know it."

And that was all Hanks needed to hear. "Who's worried, hmm?" He teased, his wrinkly face beaming. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. "Anyway, it's a good opportunity for ya. No need for ya to hurry back here."

Confused, Yuri asked for clarification.

Shutting his eyes closed, Hanks drew in a breath. As much as he wanted the swordsman to stay longer, he knew that encouraging him to leave was for the best. The last time he'd dared to step foot outside, besides visiting Jiri and his mother's graves, was when he was nineteen—when he was still a rookie knights.

Now, at the ripe age of twenty-one—a full-fledged adult, and he continued to linger through the streets of the Lower Quarter. If this keeps up, he'll continue to get scolded and looked down by the community who would often compare him to his more accomplished childhood friend/foster brother.

And yet, here it was—a window of opportunity for him to go off and find that missing piece he's been trying to look for all these years.

In order to make this work, Hanks knew that he had to manipulate his words carefully. Make one mistake and he might get suspicious.

Well, here goes nothing.

"What I mean is, we can get along just fine without you," Hanks explained as he reopened his eyes to take a look at his foster son. "Even Flynn used to say, 'I wonder how long Yuri plans on living this life'."

With the mention of Flynn, Yuri rolled his eyes. "He needs to learn to mind his own business…" He grumbled, sighing deeply.

Eventually, everyone in the community spawned and rushed over, their expressions filled with interest as they took notice of Yuri engaging in a private conversation with a mysterious pink-haired woman.

"Who's that?" Ted asked as he hid behind the bearded man.

"She looks familiar…" Marie muttered softly to herself, though Hanks managed to hear it.

"Her name's Estellise," Hanks told them, his eyes implanted on the odd-looking couple. He watched from a distance, taking note of how the younger woman carried herself with grace and yet, he couldn't help but recall the first impression he had of her. "Such a sweet girl, a complete opposite of our troubled brat over there."

A few minutes later, a loud cry blew up from the opposite direction. Hanks and the others, including Yuri and Estellise, turned their heads to find an older knight clad in a bright orange and silver uniform.

"YURI LOWELL!" The knight, who they immediately recognized to be LeBlanc, barked. "You've given my two lackeys a headache! Now be a good boy and turn yourself in!"

"Well, that's our cue," Yuri spoke up, turning to face his foster father with an amusing grin. "Looks like I won't be coming back here for a while."

Hanks chuckled.

"Never a dull moment with you around," He commented, setting a hand on his hip as he offered the latter a prideful smile.

Upon catching sight of the same little girl, who he was conversing earlier, stroll over to him and signaled a wave, he nodded and looked back. "After this, I'll be even with you for getting that money back."

Yuri widened his grin. "Just make sure you don't kick the bucket blowing it all on some crazy party,"

"Heh, same to you," Hanks tossed back, "See that you don't go dying in any ditches."

Yuri nodded and without another word, sprinted off.

"Wait for me!" Estellise cried over her shoulder. Quickly, she approached the bearded man again and bowed. "It was nice to meet you, sir."

"He'll probably be quite the pain in the neck," Hanks warned her, though the comforting look on his face proved otherwise. "You make sure to take care of yourself, now."

Beaming, Estellise thanked him and ran off to join the swordsman.

Now that that was over, the bearded man turned his back and finally released the breath he'd been holding in. "He's gonna be okay…" He said softly to no one. Raising his arm, he beckoned the community nearby to come forth to distract the incoming knight.

The little girl next to him did the same, though made sure to stand close to him and watch the spectacle.

On cue—the men, women, children, and the elderly appeared, increasing in numbers as they enclosed the knight in one spot.

Looking the other way, Hanks quietly observed a certain pair becoming swallowed up by the mass of people who slyly offered them materials and items for their journey outside the barrier. A few minutes later, and he saw them coming out of the chaos and this time, with Repede at their side.

Inhaling a deep breath, Hanks looked on as the trio left through the exit.

"Good luck, Yuri," He murmured lowly, producing a smile. "May Jiri and Lily watch over you."

* * *

Two weeks had gone and life in the Lower Quarter was back to its serene quietness.

As promised, a letter from Flynn arrived.

Eager to read his message, Hanks rushed off to the public inn and urged Marie and some of the children to come over. Through their encouraging smiles, he hastily tore off the envelope and threw his hand in to take the paper. His eyes slowly widened, his mouth dropping open as he realized what was in front of him.

It was a wanted poster of a poorly-made portrait of Yuri. Underneath the picture were the words, 'black, long hair and weird clothing. Last spotted at Lower Quarter, Zaphias. Bounty-5,000 Gald. Wanted: Dead or Alive.'

Marie gasped. "Oh my god!"

"It's Yuri!" Ted cried aloud, startled as well.

"W-what's gonna happen now to big brother Yuri?" One of the girls stammered as her tiny body quivered.

Unfazed by their comments, Hanks simply stared at the poster in his hands. "We knew that it would come to this," He muttered, bringing his hand over to his throbbing temple.

"So, what now?" Ted asked, gripping his hands tightly. "Is he gonna be sentenced for life?"

"It doesn't say anything that mentions that," The bearded man pointed out, his expression surprisingly nonchalant. "Still, we can't judge him too quickly. We need to hear his side of the story."

* * *

Since the wanted poster became publicized, the Lower Quarter became a laughing stock among the Middle and Noble Quarter.

Ted and some of the children from the orphanage became targeted by their peers who belonged from the other Quarters of the Capital City. In retaliation, some of the boys and girls initiated a brawl against their bullies to defend their big brother Yuri's name.

As a result, most of them were sent home with the Principal recommending that the children should not return until the tension was cleared.

But that wasn't the only problem.

Marie, the innkeeper started receiving severe criticisms by her guests in regards to her 'poor, untimely service.' When it was later revealed that the main cook of the inn was Yuri, the guests walked out from the building as they refused to be in a place where a criminal was renowned and respected by the people, further supporting this by calling the members of the Lower Quarter 'pigs' and 'street rats'.

What made it difficult was Flynn's absence. As he was not around to protect them from the harsh criticisms and discrimination, let alone represent them in front of the higher-ups in the government, the Lower Quarter faced severe repercussions.

In spite of this, Hanks and the community stood their ground—choosing to ignore them and refusing to accept Yuri's status as an outlaw.

The first day of May came and everything went downhill.

The barrier throughout Zaphias had vanished out of thin air.

The sky turned bloody red and a strange fog swept in, containing the air and making it difficult to breathe. Before they knew it, the entire area became overrun by overgrown plants—destroying houses and infrastructures in every direction.

With little to no options left, Hanks was forced to evacuate his people and instructed them to head to the Public Quarter. As expected, there was no one in sight and to their disbelief, was infested with monsters. Due to the lack of a barrier, the horrifying creatures entered and started wreaking havoc everywhere.

Just when things were about to get worse, a miracle followed…in the form of the Schwann Brigade.

Crossing his arms, Hanks shot them a glare. "What is it you want now?"

"We don't have time to argue!" LeBlanc raised his voice, his expression pensive and strict. "Hurry, we must go to the Palace! That's our last line of defense!"

"Hurry, I say!" Adecor joined in as he helped some of the elders walk up the staircase. "We cannot stay here for long!"

"Get every single person!" Boccos added, taking some of the injured children and rushing forward. "We must protect them!"

Hours later and they managed to get inside the Palace with the Schwann Brigade heading back outside to search for more survivors.

After wandering through the many corridors and atriums, Hanks found the cafeteria and ushered his people to go inside. Once everybody settled in, they fell to the floor in exhaustion. Marie and some of the women tended to the crying children while the able men assisted the elders to the nearby chairs.

Afterward, they were greeted with LeBlanc and his men who, too entered the cafeteria as well.

"Any survivors outside?" Hanks spoke up.

Chewing on his lower lip, LeBlanc shook his head. "The nobility and the Council left a long time ago. As for the Middle Quarter, some people are still trapped in their houses. Due to the number of monsters, I'm afraid we were unable to press on."

Frowning, Hanks threw in a question. "Why us?"

"We owe something to your son," Adecor stepped up, lowering his weapon. "Our Captain, Schwann Oltorain…he was saved by Yuri Lowell and his band of mischiefs."

"We are aware of the tension between all of you and our brigade," Boccos indicated, "But we hope to change it."

LeBlanc nodded in agreement. "We've been too dedicated with our duties, we realized that we had forgotten the main reason why we joined the knights in the first place." He explained further.

Right on cue, the trio inclined their heads forward and bowed.

"Now, now, let's not do that," Hanks began, approaching them. "We're on the same side now, aren't we?"

The senior knight peered up and blinked. Thinking it over, he nodded. "You're right." And smiled. "Thank you."

In response, the bearded man shook his head. "No, thank you," He expressed, collecting his hands together behind his back. "For stepping up and doing the right thing."

And for the next two days or so, the Schwann Brigade and the people of the Lower Quarter banded together under a common middle ground.

Everything seemed well until they heard footsteps heading their way.

"Stay here!" LeBlanc declared, unsheathing his blade and raising it forward. "Adecor, Boccos, and I would see what's outside!"

Riled up with energy, they threw open the doors and charged forward…only for their plan to fall apart as they ended up smacking themselves against the walls.

Worried, Hanks poked his head out to make sure that they were okay. His eyes widened. He couldn't believe it.

"Yuri?" He mouthed out, his voice cracking.

Hearing his foster father calling out to him, Yuri quickly whirled around to face him as he wore the same, baffling look like the latter.

"It's Yuri!" And quickened his pace to go outside.

Without a moment to lose, the bearded man ushered them inside the cafeteria to which they silently obliged.

Hanks smiled as he watched Yuri's face lit up upon noticing that every member of his community in the Lower Quarter was actually here.

"Hanks, everyone!" He cried, his voice noticeably high-pitched, "You're all okay!"

Fiddling with the frames of his glasses, Hanks looked up and chuckled. "Hey, that's my line!"

* * *

After months of separation, father and son were finally reunited. And with that, came the long, overdue explanation told through Yuri's account.

As he traveled alongside Estelle—a nickname that Yuri accidentally slipped that Hanks took notice of, and Repede, they met people:

Karol—boy aspiring to make his own guild, Rita—a genius mage who Yuri pointed out was not the one responsible for the fountain disruption, Judith—a mysterious Krityan who bears a close association with the Entelexeia, Raven—a double spy who has connections to the Imperial Knights and the Union from Dahngrest, and Patty—a self-proclaimed pirate with amnesia.

"We would often bump into Flynn and he'd join us from time to time," Yuri went on, leaning back on his chair as he looked at his empty plate with traces of curry still left. "Speaking of which, he's got his own brigade."

Hanks blinked once, then twice. "A brigade?" As he let the new information sink in, a smile appeared on his face. "My word, that boy is certainly going places."

"Anyway," Yuri drawled out, "He's leading a whole army of knights to ward off the monsters any time soon."

"That's excellent to hear," Hanks commented, chuckling a little. He then turned his sights to the people that made up his foster son's group. "Say, whatever happened to yer lady friend?"

Yuri opened his mouth to respond, only to pause midway and closed it.

Catching on to this, Hanks's wrinkly features softened. "You can tell me," He urged him in a gentle manner.

Swallowing thickly, Yuri nodded. "Actually, we're here because of her." He stated simply as he threw his hand inside his tunic and pulled out a pink flower accessory. Fingering the petals with his left hand, he tightened his other hand and shaped it into a fist. "Estelle's got this power inside her and Alexei took her to use it for himself."

"Then, why worry?" Hanks said to him, his eyes fixed on the memento as well. "You and the others are gonna save her, right?"

Silence filled the distance between them.

"Yuri?"

"…Hanks," Yuri began, followed by a tired sigh. "I'm not sure if you saw those wanted posters of me, but…my hands, they're stained in blood."

Hanks creased his eyebrows, trying to comprehend behind the meaning of his words.

"It began with the murder of Ragou—the magistrate of Capua Nor. The way how he abused his people and had monsters as pets to slaughter them...it was inhuman. We managed to get him locked up but in the end, he only had a slap in the wrist from the Council. I couldn't stand it…so, I—"

"You killed him." Hanks finished his sentence for him.

Yuri nodded in confirmation. "But that's only the tip of the iceberg. There was Cumore, an Imperial Knight corrupted with greed and like Ragou, abused his people for his own personal goals. And then, there was Don Whitehorse, who I had no choice but to partake in his slaughter…"

"He was innocent, the leader of Altosk, the Union—everyone looked up to him and I was impressed with how he carried himself. At that point, I began contemplating on what was gonna happen to me."

Sighing deeply, he added, "Flynn was aware of this and told me that if I kept pulling the same stunt—killing others and getting away with it, that he'd have no choice but to kill me."

An impish grin surfaced on his face. "I felt myself beginning to change. And I knew, that if there was one person who'd put me out of my misery, it would be him. I wanted him to end me right then and there." A pause. "But then…"

Interested, Hanks leaned a bit closer. "What is it?"

"Estelle heard everything. I assumed that she would tell the others…but she didn't. She refused to go with Flynn, knowing that if she continued to follow after me, she'll be tainted in blood too." Yuri cracked a smile.

"As naïve as she was, she knew what I was capable of, the killings that I've done and yet, she's persistent and refused to leave my side." Glancing up at the ceiling, he closed his eyes and began to recite the words she told him that night at Mantaic.

"You'd never do something like that without a reason. If you ever end up pointing your sword at me, I'm sure I will have done something to deserve it."

Hanks blinked. "She said that?"

Yuri nodded, his eyes downcast. "Estelle never committed any bloodshed and yet, she's entrusting me to kill her." He unconsciously gripped the flower memento in his hand.

"She's full of life, always curious about the world…everything about her is pure. And me? I'm here doing sinful exploits left and right, people are coming after me and wanting my head."

Fueled with anger, Yuri lifted his chin and stared at his foster father—his ebony eyes were vulnerable and open. And that was enough for Hanks to realize that his words were genuine and from the heart. "If there's anybody in this god damn world who deserves to live, it's Estelle. Not me."

Hanks lowered his head, bringing his hands together and tightening them.

With every situation his foster son put himself through, Hanks would find it to be relatable.

Be it getting bullied, discriminated by the nobility, or ignoring people's orders—he knew the advice to give to him because he's been through a similar way.

But here was a problem—a problem that was much bigger than both of them combined.

And it involved a person whom his foster son was quite fond of, and the only two options laid out for him was—kill her or be killed.

He looked up and focused in on the dark-haired man—dark bags under his eyes, his lips slightly chapped and his hands clamoring.

"…This is troubling you, isn't it?" Hanks spoke up after the long silence.

No response. Instead, Yuri chose to avoid eye contact.

Hanks sighed. "…I have faith in you, Yuri," He stated, gaining the latter's attention. "I don't have much guidance to provide you on this issue but all I can say is this,"

Facing his son again, he said, **"If this girl means a lot to you, then do whatever it takes to save her."**

* * *

 **And that's it for chapter 4!**

 **Hello, everyone! This is Kroissant!**

 **The title of this chapter is influenced by Yuri and Estelle's motifs—Yuri, the lone wolf and Estelle being that she is the Child of the Full Moon.**

 **Coincidentally, there are urban myths that tell of wolves becoming attracting to the full moon. Scientists believe that this is purely out of coincidence but in the end, it's clear that they rely on one another. That being said, the title of the chapter is perfectly suited for this.**

 **Unlike the previous chapters, I made this one much longer in order to keep the story to flow well. The good news is that there's not much scenes with Hanks but due to how few of them are on the internet, it was a big scavenger hunt!**

 **But hey, it worked out well in the end so that's good!**

 **This chapter in particular pained me as Hanks struggles to brush off the image of his foster son as a criminal. For the next one, (which I already have a set due date for—it'll be on February 9** **th** **which is a Saturday as it would give me some time to settle back into studies for a while before coming back). Also, the original plan was to end it with Yuri being angsty—the sentence when he says that Estelle deserves to live and not him. But then, it felt like something was lacking and so, I added in Hanks encouraging him to save her no matter what—so yay for that!**

 **The next chapter is going to be a bit different—since this chapter centered around Hanks with Yuri, the next one is going to be Hanks and Estelle (and for a very good reason)**

 **Anyway, I would like to say thank you all for your support!**

 **I'm loving the comments so far and I hope I could see more! Thank you so much, they give me strength!**

 **If you can, I recommend listening to this OST from Lincoln, John Williams and surprisingly, the name of the song is—Father and Son.**

 **Okay, that's all for now!**

 **Leave a comment (and kudos in the A03 community) if you can! I'm eager to hear your opinions and criticisms!**

 **See you all on Saturday!**


	5. Brightest Star in the Night Sky

Little by little, the red mist shrouding the heavens gradually died out, becoming replaced with the pigment of clear blue and an array of white clouds.

Hanks released the breath he'd been holding in for too long. Veering his head from the windows, he averted his focus to the doors from across the cafeteria.

On cue, the entrance opened—a young boy with a tuft of brown hair and the blue canine entered the scene.

Immediately, Ted and the children sprang from their seats and rushed to their general direction.

Sensing this, Repede paused in his tracks and allowing the children to surround him.

Hanks waited for a bit, hoping to get a chance to see his foster son. A minute or so passed but still nothing.

As if reading his mind, the boy spoke up. "If you're looking for Yuri, he went off to talk to Flynn,"

The bearded man glanced at the approaching small figure. "And the rest of you?"

"Patty's wandering around, Rita's trying to modify Estelle's formula…" Karol explained, folding his arms over his chest. "Judith's communicating with Ba'ul and…" He stopped for a moment to ponder his thoughts and frowned. "I don't know about Raven."

Hanks tipped his head to the side. "…I see," was all he managed to say. His lips slightly curved upwards. "Well, I bet you must be hungry from that big fight," And gestured his arm to the kitchen on the right side of the cafeteria. "There's still plenty more curry if ya like."

Karol beamed. "Really?" He cried, his eyes sparkling with joy. "Thanks!" And ran to go get some.

Locating a nearby chair, the bearded man sat himself down and groaned. Fiddling with the frames of his glasses, he took notice of Marie the innkeeper who stared at him with a sympathetic look. Pursing his lips, he raised his hand and gave her an assuring wave.

Minutes later, the same boy arrived and chose to seat himself next to him.

"I'm not sure if I introduced myself, but I'm Karol," The boy greeted, grinning widely. "And you must be Hanks, right?"

Hanks nodded in confirmation.

And from there, they initiated a conversation—beginning from how Karol met Yuri, Estelle, and Repede in the Quoi Woods, up until the present time.

As Karol recounted the misadventures he and his friends went through, Hanks couldn't help but find himself leaning in and listening intently, eager to hear more.

Turns out, the friend who they came here to rescue—Estelle was the runaway princess they kept hearing about in the past few months. When Hanks first heard about this, he thought of the pink-haired woman that his foster son had left with. But thanks to Karol, it seems that his gut feeling turned out to be true.

What made it surprising was the fact that it was Yuri who voiced out his concerns about killing her. Recalling his foster son's words a few hours ago, it was safe to say that the dark-haired man saw the princess in a different light, much like the rest of their friends. He didn't seem to care much of her title nor brought up her noble status—Yuri saw her for who she was, a person.

And it was then that Hanks realized how much his boy—who, in the beginning, acted like a troublesome brat was slowly maturing into a man.

Hanks smiled to himself. Who knew that all Yuri needed was to go beyond the barriers of Zaphias and become immersed with the outside world? Yuri may look and act the same but Hanks knew, that deep down, that the swordsman's perspective in life was changing for the better.

Their conversation went on for about a couple of more hours. In between those times, the Schwann Brigade showed up and insisted that they'd go out and patrol the neighboring area. To everyone's shock, Karol and Repede decided to join them.

"I'm gonna go and see if there are any survivors," The boy insisted, "I'll even drop by the Lower Quarter and see if everything's okay."

Hanks nodded. "Be careful now,"

Stepping forth, LeBlanc spoke up. "Rest-assured, we'll take care of them," Forming a salute, he strolled through the exit, following the boy and the dog alongside his two subordinates.

As soon as they left, a female knight by the name of Soda appeared. Introducing herself as Flynn's right-hand woman and temporary co-captain for the Imperial Knights, she entered the cafeteria to inform the community of the spare rooms that her men prepared for them.

All eyes were on Hanks for an answer.

"You go on ahead," He began with an encouraging smile. "I'll stay here and wait for Yuri."

Obeying his instructions—Marie, Ted, the children, and elders were the first to leave.

Soon after, some of the women and men followed.

…Until finally, there was only Hanks and a few left who chose to remain and wait for Karol to return.

"We're back!" A loud boyish voice cried out, accompanied by a bark. "And we got goods!"

As promised, Karol came back safely holding a bag. Plopping himself on the ground, he inserted his hand inside before taking it out—one by one, he gathered the few items together.

Curious, some of the men and women walked over to take a look.

"Oh, my comb!" A woman suddenly cried, seizing her item. "And my dress!"

"My bag!" Hanks cried, reclaiming his as well. With widened eyes, he turned to the smiling boy and chortled in joy, "How'd you managed to find all of these?"

Karol grinned. "Like I said, I went to go and check up on the Lower Quarter." He explained, "The red mist and the monsters are not there anymore. The overgrown plants are still in the area, but you know what? I bumped into Flynn and he said that he and the knights are gonna get rid of them!"

Processing his words, Hanks nodded intently.

"We were about to go back to the palace when Repede found a bunch of these lying around," He jerked his chin to the items laid on the ground and continued. "I figured that these might've been important to you guys so I went ahead and took them."

"Thank you," Hanks thanked sincerely as he shifted his focus on the small brown bag in his hands. "This bag of mine means so much to me."

Karol nodded, though the eager look on his face dissipated quickly upon realizing that something was wrong. Walking over to the woman who was busy marveling at her dress, he cleared his throat and said, "Umm…excuse me, miss?"

"Oh, yes?"

"Can I take a look at that?" And pointed at her dress.

"…Sure," The woman agreed, offering it to him.

Once the boy got a hold of the dress, he started examining the fabric. "There's a hole…" He mumbled, "And it's a big one too."

Confused, Hanks walked over to him and peered down to take a look. His eyes widened—the boy was right; there really was a gaping hole at the center.

"Luckily, I know how to stitch it up!" Karol exclaimed, already digging into his bag to take out his tools. "This'll take only a few minutes."

* * *

The sound of the door opening and footsteps caught their attention. Whirling their heads around, they were greeted with the familiar face of Yuri.

Acknowledging his foster father, Yuri waved his hand.

Smiling, Hanks bobbed his head in return.

"What's up, Karol?" Yuri began, breaking the silence in the room.

Hearing his name being called, the boy arose from the ground and angled his body to face him. "Oh, Yuri!" He beamed excitedly. He then presented the swordsman with the small brown bag. "Take a look at this! It's as good as new!"

"Good to see you're as useful as ever," Yuri commented, his voice calm. Setting his hand on his hip, he narrowed his eyes. "That's not yours though, is it?"

"It's mine," Hanks joined in, catching their attention.

Yuri's face lit up as he caught sight of the bearded man strolling toward them. "Hanks," He addressed the latter.

"This boy's been fixing up all the stuff that got knocked around in that commotion," Hanks explained while Karol came in and offered him the bag. Accepting it, he smiled as he watched the latter return to his spot near Yuri. "He even went back to the Lower Quarter to pick all these things up."

Karol chuckled. "Actually…" He trailed off, averting his eyes to the canine sitting beside him. "Repede was the one who found most of it."

Repede opened his mouth, sticking his tongue out as if he agreed.

"These're my favorite shoes and you can hardly see where they got torn!" One of the men who chose to remain stepped in to speak up, "This guy's awesome!"

Shortly after, a woman came in to voice her opinion. "He sewed up a dress that was very important to me," She recalled, referring to Karol's handiwork. She glanced at the boy and gave him a smile. "Thanks again for that."

Unfazed by this, Yuri turned to face his friend. "…You sure about doing this, Karol? Tomorrow's the final battle."

"It's okay," Karol expressed, surprisingly composed. "I was actually a little worried." Lowering his head, he added, "I couldn't really sleep anyway when I started thinking about the battle tomorrow."

While the pair conversed with each other, Hanks shifted his eyes to the man and woman standing near him and smiled. In return, they returned the gesture.

Looking back to his foster son, who seemed to be preoccupied with having a private conversation with his younger friend, Hanks smiled as a warm sensation swelled inside his chest.

It was a bizarre sight to see the swordsman making genuine friends and bonding with them. Back then, the only person Yuri counted on was Flynn…and now, look at him—branching out and making friends of his own.

"This boy's got a bright future ahead of him," Hanks pointed out, earning the pair's attention.

Coming forth, Yuri spoke up. "You are looking at the esteemed Boss of our guild," And nudged his arm to the boy next to him.

Karol blushed at his compliment. Bringing his hand behind his head, he sheepishly grinned.

Hanks chuckled lightly. "You know, you might learn a thing or two from him yourself."

Yuri rolled his eyes and sighed. "…Aaaand, there it is," He grumbled, shaking his head in dismay. "Man, I walked right into that one," Even so, a smile was etched on his lips.

Bringing the small bag close to his chest, Hanks closed his eyes. "Memories support the heart," Hanks began, reciting the same words his beloved Jiri once said to him. "And our dearest possessions are the vessels for those memories." Reopening them, he locked his gaze at the younger boy and thanked him graciously.

And just like that, the bearded man walked off.

"Hanks."

Stopping in his tracks, Hanks motioned his head to look at his foster son. "Hmm?"

"Marie and the kids are sleeping in their rooms," Yuri explained, his expression solemn. "You should go join them."

"Look who's talking," Hanks tossed back, "I'm impressed that you're still standing from all that workout you did earlier."

Yuri cracked a smirk. "Nah, still got some patrolling left to do," He said, waving his hand dismissively. "I'll sleep later."

Hanks nodded. "Alright then." He replied back, his facial features softening. "See you in the morning."

Yuri laughed, giving him a two-finger salute.

As he saw the young man left, something inside Hanks felt uneasy. For some reason, he had to say something, anything.

"Yuri."

Pausing in his steps, Yuri whirled his head around and faced his foster father. "Yeah?"

Hanks stood there, unable to form proper words. Shaking his head, he simply went along with, "I'll tell you later."

Yuri smirked, nodding along.

Bidding farewells, the two went off their separate ways.

* * *

The clock rang past noon—signaling Karol and the rest of the night owls of the community to eventually leave the cafeteria and go to sleep.

As for Hanks and Repede, they decided to take a stroll together. While wandering through the corridors and atriums, they were met with benevolent knights who appeared on watch duty.

Everywhere they went, there seemed to be at least one knight standing near a door or idly on guard.

Becoming reminded of Yuri mentioning about Flynn leading the entire army, Hanks inwardly chuckled.

And then a thought occurred to him.

Didn't Yuri say something about patrolling as well?

Growing worried, Hanks quickened his pace. "Come, Repede," He ushered the blue dog beside him, "We have to find him," And made it his mission to find his foster son.

After what seemed like an excruciating hour, they finally found him…lying against the wall with his arms crossed, his eyes closed, and in a rather odd-looking sleeping position. His head was slightly tilted to the side, close to his Second Star sword which remained at his side.

As Hanks got into close proximity to him, all he could do was sigh deeply.

"What are you doing here?" He murmured to no one.

Shifting his eyes to the left, he found the answer—there, in front of him, was a door encrusted with white and gold. The bearded man squinted his eyes, ruminating through his thoughts.

The design…why does it look so familiar to him?

Curious, he wobbled to the door and proceeded to knock on the wooden surface.

No answer.

Hanks frowned slightly. Maybe it was a closet?

Suddenly, his ears picked up the sound of light footsteps from the other side.

"Just a second!" A muffled voice called out, unmistakably female.

Panicking, Hanks scurried over to a nearby pillar and hid behind it, followed shortly by Repede.

Seconds later, the door opened.

A blob of pink hair popped out.

Hanks's eyes grew large in size.

He watched as the woman—who he recognized immediately to be Estelle gracefully emerge from the door in her yellow nightgown. Looking around, her eyes eventually landed on the dark-haired man and for a second, Hanks could've sworn that her expression had softened.

Running back inside her room, she came back, this time with a pink blanket at hand.

Quickly, she tip-toed her way to the sleeping swordsman and carefully covered the lower part of his body with the blanket. Once she managed to do that, she slowly lifted her hand and lightly brushed the strands of his hair away from his face.

Smiling sweetly, the princess stood up from the ground and walked back inside her room. Before she could go in, she stopped and peered over her shoulder, gazing at the swordsman for a few seconds before closing the door behind.

Once he heard a soft click, Hanks finally came out of his hiding spot.

He motioned his head to the dog next to him who in return, stared back with a knowing look.

* * *

Morning was here—a moment of comfort and solace.

Unfortunately for Hanks, this was not the case as he had accidentally overslept. As a result, he wasn't able to properly say goodbye to Yuri and his friends who had already up and left.

"And Flynn?" Hanks inquired the Schwann Brigade, "Where is he?"

"He's gone to assist Yuri and the others at Zaude," LeBlanc explained, "There's no need to worry over them as Sir Schwann is also with them."

"I say, we should focus on the matters here," Adecor replied, pressing his arm against his armored chest. "As instructed by Sir Schwann, we're here to aid you on your way back to the Lower Quarter."

"Thanks to the Imperial Knights, the area has been cleansed of the plant situation," Boccos added in, straightening his posture. "But in case there is still a monster lurking around, we'll be here to protect you."

Registering their words, Hanks crossed his arms. "Do whatever you want," He drawled out, placing a hand on his hip.

The trio nodded, saluting once more.

Together, they began the great migration back to the Lower Quarter. And thanks to the aid of the Schwann Brigade, the entire community managed to get back home without a trace of injuries. Though it was expected that some of the houses were destroyed, in the end, all that mattered was that everyone was alive and well.

Bursting through the front door, Hanks made his way to the ruins of his living room with LeBlanc trailing after him. Peering upwards, he groaned when he saw a huge hole above him, giving him a good look at the clear, morning sky. Though the staircase remained intact, with the huge hole, there wasn't much progression to be made upstairs.

Taking notice of the latter's deep frown, Hanks shrugged his shoulders. Crouching to the floor, he took hold of one of the framed pictures that dropped from the table. Brushing off the bits and pieces of glass, Hanks mustered a smile at the sight of the picture of his beloved wife, Jiri.

Soon afterward, he managed to collect most of the pictures that were scattered across the whole area.

"I'm sorry," LeBlanc expressed, referring to the collection of furniture and other trinkets that were left in the house. Removing his helmet and hanging his head, he added in, "If there's anything my men and I can do, we'll do our best to reach out to His Highness, Ioder, to make amends."

Hanks shook his head. "What's lost is lost. No matter how much you want to get it back, odds are—you get it or you don't get it."

Shuffling toward him, he continued. "The Lower Quarter is strong and will remain strong so long as we are all together. This," He jerks his chin to the chaos around them. "is nothing to us." Inhaling deeply, he said in a soft voice. "I'm an old man, there are not many things for me to keep."

A long, quiet silence followed.

Crinkling his nose, Hanks snuck a glance at the hole through his roof.

"What's wrong?" LeBlanc wondered aloud.

Hanks opened his mouth to say something, but when he didn't know the right words to say, he closed it and remained silent.

* * *

Since the invasion of the monsters and overgrown plants throughout Zaphias, Hanks knew that the minute it began, something worse was bound to follow after.

What they were experiencing now was a tip of the iceberg of something bigger and more treacherous.

And as much as he hated to admit it, the feeling in his gut was always right on the Gald—the next day, a fracture of the sky, which ironically resembled the same shape as the hole in his roof, materialized out of the blue and along with it came the appearance of an unidentifiable monster.

One look was all it took for Hanks to realize that this was it—the end of the world was coming and nothing good was coming out of it.

But the final blow came when the Schwann Brigade arrived to deliver an urgent message to him and the community the day after.

"Sir Schwann contacted us…" LeBlanc began, shuffling his feet. "And I'm afraid, we have some news."

"Is it good?" Ted questioned curiously.

"Is it bad?" One of the girls piped in.

Growing restless, Hanks stepped forth. "Don't put us on the edge of our seats!" He scolded them, chuckling. "What are ya waiting for? Speak up!"

Adecor and Boccos exchanged looks of disappointment.

Catching this, Hanks quickly shifted his eyes to their subdivision leader, LeBlanc. Alarmed by his equally saddened expression, he asked, "…What is it?"

"The battle at Zaude…was a success," LeBlanc spoke up, struggling with his words. "Commandant Alexei has been slain…and in the next few days, Flynn Scifo would be the one to take his title."

Immediately, a large round of applause and cheers erupted from all directions. Everyone, excluding Hanks, celebrated.

"And Yuri?" Hanks spoke up, once the noise diminished.

No response.

"WHERE'S MY SON?" He raised his voice, urgent and desperate.

Heaving deeply, LeBlanc looked up to face him and simply muttered, **"…I'm sorry. He's gone."**

The aftermath of the battle of what he assumed to be at Zaude was blurry in both accounts of experiences and records.

According to Yuri's friends who were present, Alexei was suffocated to death by the large green apatheia which they explained to be a form of crystal made by the aer that an Extelexeia consumes during their lifespan, but due to its large size, they were separated—with Yuri on the left side and them on the opposing right.

When they managed to get to the other side, it was already too late—Yuri was gone and there was no trace of his whereabouts.

The only conclusion they could come up with was that he might've tripped and fell to the ocean.

Descending about a hundred feet and diving into the cold, chilling embrace of the waters…that information alone was a strong implication that the dark-haired man had died in the process.

Everything about this was difficult to swallow, bringing indescribable pain inside the poor old man. And then he remembered—the last memory he had together with his foster son. He knew right then and there that was something was wrong and so, he attempted to say something.

Then again, Hanks knew that even if he tried going back in time to warn him, Yuri would still persist on the mission and move forward.

Once he was alone, he removed his glasses and brought a hand to his throbbing temple. Eventually, the walls broke and the tears that were threatening to spill had flown.

Later that night, Hanks cried himself to sleep.

* * *

…Damn him and his stubbornness.

…Damn him and his restlessness.

"Why do you have to be like Lily?" Hanks fretted lowly under his breath, covering his face with his hands. "Why risk yourself, knowing that you would die?"

Something tugged him on the sleeve, causing him to stiffen.

Brushing off the tears gleaming on his cheeks, the bearded man turned to the little girl sitting next to him. "What's the matter?"

Standing up, the girl points her finger.

Following her direction, Hanks was surprised to find a familiar face.

Realizing that he was in the presence of royalty, the bearded man quickly got up and bowed his head a few times. "…Yer Highness!" He cried almost in a panic.

Estelle forced a smile. "No formalities," She insisted, "Please, call me Estelle."

Still shaken by her presence, Hanks cleared his throat and nodded. "…Oh, uh…alright." He agreed, going along with it.

The pink-haired woman tightened the grip on her gloved hands. "I came as soon as I heard about what happened," She spoke up, her voice sincere. "Everyone's out there, doing what they can to find Yuri."

Hanks raised an eyebrow. "That doesn't sound right," He replied, "Shouldn't you be with the others?"

Estelle nodded. "I was supposed to, but…" She trailed off, inhaling a deep breath. "I was worried to stay at the castle."

"And you managed to escape," Hanks furrowed his eyebrows. Gaining a nod from the latter, he pressed on. "How?"

Estelle beamed. "I climbed out of the window…"

Hanks's eyes went round from shock. "And the knights?"

Again, the princess smiled. "You'll have to thank the Schwann Brigade," She answered before gesturing to the blue canine next to her. "And Repede." And then extended out her hand to reveal a few pebbles. "And these."

The bearded man peered downwards before looking back up to face the latter. Did she just imply that she threw rocks at the knights? If so, then that means—oh, no, was Yuri influencing her?

Shaking his head, Hanks changed the topic. "Well, I'm glad you're here," He expressed, "But don't you think yer family is worried about you?"

"My father died from an illness. My mother passed before I reached the age of three," Estelle explained, "I do have a blood relative, my cousin—Ioder. But beyond that, not really."

"So yer an orphan too…" Hanks murmured lowly under his breath, becoming reminded of a certain dark-haired man. "Just like him…"

"Pardon?"

Blinking, Hanks shook his head and grinned. "My dear, what are you here for?"

"I'm aware that some of the people here are in no shape to move," Estelle stressed, her seafoam eyes reigniting with vigor. "If it's not too much trouble, allow me to assist you all with the repairs and the injured."

"Thank you," Hanks replied back, forcing a smile. "We'll be needing all the help we can get."

* * *

For the next few weeks, that was exactly what Estelle did.

Besides treating the wounded, she contributed to the repairs of the housing and replenishing the water supply when the fountain was not working. With Marie preoccupied at cooking duty and helping some of the members who were homeless at the inn, it was Estelle who took the responsibility of caring for the children.

And as expected, she was quite popular with them as Ted and the children would talk all about her—absolutely adoring her presence as well as with her beautifully crafted stories.

With her warm and friendly ambiance, the community of the Lower Quarter loved her, immediately branding her as one of them.

During her stay, Estelle filled Hanks in on the updates of her friends, mostly interlinked with Yuri's disappearance.

Since the final battle, Flynn hadn't visited the Lower Quarter since. He was initially planning to surprise them with the others when the incident occurred. Determined to find his missing childhood friend and foster brother, Flynn resorted to his commanding role and implored for ships throughout Terca Lumireis to scour far and wide, especially around Zaude.

Patty, the captain of their boat—Fiertia, and Ba'ul, the giant flying Extelexeia took to the skies to assist Flynn. While doing so, she would often take the time moving back and forth to relocate her other friends.

Judith and Rita were the first to rush to the scene of the crime—at the pedestal of Zaude, where the battle took place. Every single day, they would head there in search for their missing friend and when night had fallen, they would travel back to Aspio through the Fiertia to research more of the shrine—hoping to find some secret passageways or other triggers that could give them clues.

As for Karol and Raven, they've returned to Dahngrest. Prior to the final battle at Zaude and the mysterious monster looming the heavens, the guilds were clashing each other again—seeking dominance over the over in reaction to the great catastrophe above them. While stationed there, Raven, who remained as the Schwann Brigade's leader, issued the command to LeBlanc and his other subordinates to support the princess's wishes and abide by her orders whenever necessary.

In response, LeBlanc, Adecor, and Boccos would appear in the Lower Quarter to distribute and restock their supplies such as clothes and food to the point of building up tents that were originally made for the knights and sprawling them throughout the neighborhood.

Other than that, the Schwann Brigade were also there for another reason—to escort the princess safely to the castle. Time and time again, Estelle would refuse their offer and to her relief, they would respect her wishes and continue on with their work within the area.

With Estelle remaining in the Lower Quarter, she was given the opportunity to sleep in one of the available rooms. Hanks, who happened to be one of the homeless victims, urged her to take his temporary room which was located next to the one that Yuri once resided in.

Again, she would refuse…choosing to sleep outside near the barracks next to the staircase. Until one night, Hanks found her curled up on Yuri's bed with Repede idly resting on the ground and watching over her.

Though the canine may not show it, it appears that he had grown attached to her—remaining at her side for quite a while now. Entering the room, the bearded man took a spare blanket from the chair and gently covered the sleeping princess's form with it.

After that, he went on to put another blanket on Repede.

Startled, the canine peered up at the bearded man.

"Thank you for being there for her," Hanks mouthed to the dog with glassy eyes. "It must've been difficult for both of you."

Without another word, Hanks left the pair and headed back inside his room next door.

It was another morning—clear blue with white clouds…and the addition of the gaping hole in the sky.

As days went on, slowly and surely, the hole was beginning to expand and all the citizens in the Lower Quarter, as well as the rest of the world, could do was stare and wait for the inevitable to commence.

Brushing the thought off, Hanks wobbled his way to the small public square in the Lower Quarter—and as always, was delighted to see the princess reading a book. To his surprise, the entire community was there, including the Schwann Brigade.

It seems as though everybody decided to take a break altogether and for a moment of peace, allowed themselves to listen to Estelle's encouraging stories.

"…And the Dark Enforcer and the Magical Maiden lived happily ever after." Estelle read the last sentence, closing the book in her hands and holding it close to her chest. "The end."

On cue, there was a series of cheering and whistling.

Smiling brightly, Estelle stood up and bowed to her audience. "I believe that's it for today," She expressed, which earned her loud groans and looks of sorrows. Giggling lightly, she added in, "Okay, how about this? After lunch, I'll read another book."

Once more, the audience cheered.

As the numbers of the crowd diminished with the rest, including the members of the Schwann Brigade and the children rushing off to assist Marie at the public inn, Estelle found herself alone with Repede.

"We should go help Marie too," She suggested to the dog.

"Woof!" Repede barked in agreement.

Before they could move, they heard a voice from nearby. Whirling her head, Estelle was startled to find a young man holding a bouquet of flowers toward her.

"Miss Estelle…" He stammered, shuffling his feet and blushing mad, "I-I love your stories and I listen to them every single day!"

Blinking, Estelle smiled. "Oh, thank you. That's so sweet of— "

"PLEASE BE MY GIRLFRIEND!"

The princess's eyes widened. "W-what?" She sputtered out, unable to think.

The man collected his breath, ready to proclaim his declaration of love again. But before he could do so, a voice beat him to it.

"Stop right there, Bernard!"

The man named Bernard flinched in his spot and turned around to find the mayor of the Lower Quarter glaring at him. "Why are you still here? Your mother's looking everywhere for you!"

"Oh, yes!" Bernard squeaked. Averting his focus back to the princess, he quickly bowed and apologized for his actions before running off.

An air of stillness ensued.

"You can breathe now, my dear," Hanks spoke up, breaking the ice.

Registering his words, Estelle finally exhaled. "That Bernard is something," She commented, tipping her head to the side and blushing a little.

Rolling his eyes, Hanks turned to face the princess. "How many times did he asked you?"

"This would be the fifteenth time…" Estelle counted, nodding to herself. "Yes, fifteen, I believe."

"He should really catch a break and find someone else," Hanks grumbled, followed by an exasperated sigh. "Let me know if this happens again and I'll notify Rosie."

"Rosie?"

"That dimwit's mother," Hanks explained, "If she hears about his advancements toward ya, I'm sure she'll find a way to stop him from doing so."

As he started to walk away, Estelle called out his name.

"Yes?"

"Thank you," She thanked him, bowing respectfully. "But you know, you didn't really have to do that."

Hanks frowned a little. "What do you mean?"

"Bernard…he's not the only person here who tried to court me," Estelle expressed, smiling sheepishly. "But don't worry, I've politely rejected them."

"That's good," Hanks replied back, "It hurts to see a poor man being rejected by a woman who's already committed to someone else—" He stopped right there in his sentence, his eyes widening as he realized that he had slipped something that he wasn't supposed to say.

But Estelle and Repede heard it and to his dismay, was forced to clarify his explanation.

Sighing deeply, Hanks peered up to glance at the princess who looked back at him with a confused expression. Bringing his hands together behind his hunched back, he proceeded to move his head over to the steps near the fountains. "Come and sit, my dear,"

Estelle nodded, though was quick to rush over to assist the poor old man who was struggling to sit. Once he was settled in, she followed suit, and then Repede.

"Has Yuri ever told you about his first love?"

Hearing this, the pink-haired woman's mouth slightly parted. Though it was subtle, Hanks caught her chewing on her bottom lip and her eyes downcast. From the looks of it, it doesn't seem like the swordsman told her nor anyone else about his childhood.

Inwardly, Hanks grinned at this. This might be a good opportunity to finally tell her.

"When he was ten, he fell in love," Hanks began, though was quick to make hand quotations on the last word, "His first love turned out to be a woman about fourteen years older than him."

Estelle nodded, listening intently.

"She happened to be temporarily living in the Lower Quarter. Yuri first made contact with her when he saw her watering the garden." Hanks closed his eyes and chuckled, becoming reminded of the memory—of a younger version of his foster son entering their house, proclaiming that he was in love with someone and wanted to find a way to ask her to marry him. He remembered how Jiri looked at the boy, and then to him and just shook his head. "Don't know much about her but I heard that she was quite the beauty. Anyway, Yuri went up to her and asked her the big question."

Estelle waited for his next set of words, nodding along.

"The woman told him that if he wanted to prove his love for her, he needed to find the biggest fish in the river and give it to her." Hanks turned to face the princess and as expected, she stared at him with widened eyes. "And so, he and Flynn ran to the river to find this fish. Flynn had accidentally slipped in and…"

Once again, memories resurfaced—of how it turned out that one of the aquatic monsters were dwelling in the river and had spawned out, scaring both the boys to death. Luckily, a traveling guild came in and saved them, bringing them to their house. When he and Jiri heard word of what the boys were doing and the monster that appeared, they scolded them on the spot and grounded them for the whole week.

Shaking his head to brush off the memory, Hanks continued. "he survived, and of course, they got grounded. But oh, Yuri…he was not giving up. He would often sneak out of the house to find that big fish. And then one time, when he was alone…"

He closed his eyes as he suddenly recalled the memory of his foster son accidentally slipping into the river. This time, he was alone and nobody was there to help him. Hanks heaved a sigh, silently thanking the heavens again and again—knowing that if it weren't for Flynn, who knew of Yuri's intentions, he wouldn't have raced to the river and caught the poor boy in time.

"He almost died there, you know," Hanks croaked, lowering his head to nurse his temple.

Estelle said nothing and instead, scooted a bit closer to pat the bearded man in assurance. Repede joined in and picked up his tongue to lick on his cheek. Touched by their affectionate gestures, Hanks thanked them both and forced himself to continue with the story.

"Yuri was saved and he was forced to admit to the woman that he couldn't find this big fish she wanted him to give to her." He bitterly smiled. "Poor Yuri…he found out the next day, that the woman was already engaged to another man and that the fish she wanted him to give to her was to make him understand that he was never worthy of her."

"If you can't catch a big fish, you can never get someone like me," He hinted, remembering what Yuri had told him shortly after being rejected.

Estelle narrowed her eyebrows. "That's horrible," She stressed, her grip tightening to shape into a fist. "Is she still here?"

"No, she's not," Hanks answered, much to her relief. "After Yuri told me about what she said to him, I bumped into the woman and demanded her to leave the Lower Quarter and to never return."

"Wasn't she engaged with a man living in the Lower Quarter?" Gaining a nod, Estelle frowned. "What happened to him?"

"She left but he stayed," Hanks confirmed. "They broke off their engagement. Honestly, it was a good thing they did. That woman was trouble; I'd tell you that. As for the man, he found someone else." As he said those words, he motioned his head to a middle-aged couple strolling by, their arms locked and smiling merrily.

Catching on to what he meant, Estelle grinned. "I see," She muttered, recognizing them to be the same ones who would drop by and listen to one of her readings. "That's wonderful to hear."

"So, you see…" Hanks started, gaining the latter's attention. "Yuri's got some misconceptions about love. He thinks that what he knows is the right thing but doesn't realize that there are consequences that come along with it. He chose to do whatever his first love tells him to do and because of that, nearly got himself killed and rejected in the end."

"…How do you know," Estelle began, "if you're in love?"

Hanks smiled. "You can't see it from a mile away. It comes at you…and it doesn't start out as being perfect. It would begin with a strange feeling right here," He puts a hand over his chest where his heart is located, "And gradually, it would grow until you realize that you want to remain by their side. There's nothing logical about it but you know that deep down, it feels right."

Thinking it over, she gradually reduced the stiffness of her shoulders and grinned. "I thought I had that with Flynn…" She admitted, blushing a little. "Very warm and friendly, encouraging…he was exactly what I pictured a prince charming or knight in shining armor would be like. I do often miss his presence and his worries, but every time I'm around him, I feel constricted. It's the same feeling I have with the Palace."

Hanks nodded, listening to her words. "And Yuri?"

"The complete opposite, actually," Estelle confessed further, veering down to look at her joined hands. "I almost killed him with a vase…and bossed him around when I shouldn't. But you know, he was always patient with me. He even gave me the option to decide on what I wanted to do. Regardless of what I said, he won't question it. He'd respect it."

Blinking, Hanks couldn't help but slip in a grin. He let out a hearty laugh.

And what soon followed were more stories from both accounts, of Estelle's travels with Yuri through her eyes and more stories of Yuri's childhood.

Bursts of laughter and jokes were emitted, and when it was time for Estelle's public reading to the community, all Hanks could do was sit next to her with Repede, Ted, and some of the little girls who managed to climb up and sit on the princess's lap.

"Ready for another story?" She asked her audience.

When she saw the bright faces of the children, elderly, some of the couples from afar and to the Schwann brigade stationed near the public inn with Marie, something inside her blossomed.

"Okay, let's begin…" Flipping to the first page of the book she held with both hands, she began reading the first sentence. "Once upon a time, there lived a lonely star…"

* * *

"Yer still awake?"

Startled by the voice, the pink-haired woman turned to face the bearded man behind her. Acknowledging him, she sighed and curved her lips to form a sweet smile.

"I can't sleep," She admitted, reverting her eyes to the collection of stars in the night sky. Despite the large reddish wormhole-like currents eerily moving to and fro, it didn't seem to affect the breathtaking scenery.

Hanks wobbled his way to her and at the same time, nodding to the blue dog that remained by her side.

"…Oh, there it is!" Estelle cried, alarming the old man. He watched her point one of her fingers to the stars.

Looking up as well, he noticed the familiar speck of light. Pushing his glasses against his nose, he gasped. "Well, I'll be…" He trailed off, mustering a grin.

"Brave Vesperia," Estelle began, dropping her arm.

"…Brave Vesperia?"

Estelle moved her head to look at him and nodded. "It is the brightest star in the night sky. In the ancient tongue, it's translated to the 'evening star' or 'bravery of the morning star."

"I see," The bearded man mumbled to himself, quite pleased with her interpretation. When he noticed the latter's sudden quietness, he grew worried. "What's the matter?"

Swallowing thickly, the princess slowly shook her head. "Nothing…" And forced a grin. "It's just…seeing this star reminded me of the time when we lost Yuri." Breathing in, she added, "When we entered the Shrine of Zaude, we found out that Brave Vesperia was nothing more than a large blastia suspended in space…this whole time, it was safeguarding the Adephagos from entering the stratosphere."

Hanks remained quiet, nodding to her words and allowing Estelle to express herself.

"I refuse to believe that Yuri is gone," Estelle pressed on, her voice firm. "And if…it's not too much," Bringing her hands together, she closed her eyes and began to mutter a silent prayer. "Please, show me a sign. Let me know that he's okay."

A moment of silence passed.

Hanks bit on his lower lip, offering the princess a look of empathy.

Like her, he too wished for a sign that his foster son was alive and well.

"Thank you, my dear," He murmured, loud enough for the latter to hear.

Motioning her head, Estelle smiled sweetly.

All of a sudden, Repede stood on his hind legs and rushed off.

Alarmed, Estelle chased after him, though stopped abruptly to apologize to the bearded man before following after the dog.

Sighing, Hanks staggered back from whence he came. His ears picked up the princess's voice and Repede's bark from a distance and then stopped abruptly when he heard the familiar baritone followed suit.

"Estelle? Repede?"

And to his surprise, the pair responded back—"Yuri!" and a delightful bark—giving Hanks the confirmation that yes, a certain dark-haired man had returned from the dead.

Wanting to join in on the reunion as well, Hanks scurried over to the first steps of the staircase. As much as he wanted to yell out his foster son's name, he knew that this was not the right time to do so. And so, he stood there, smiling and watching the princess laughing joyfully as she tackled the swordsman, who in return, was left dazed and surprised that she managed to pull such a stunt.

Eventually, it became rather intimate when Hanks noticed how Estelle wrapped her arms around his waist while Yuri remained still, though leaning a bit to put his chin on top of her head. There, they stood, together and reunited at long last, within each other's arms.

When he noticed Repede staring at him and jerked his chin as if to signal him to come over, Hanks refused, raising his hand and waving it dismissively. Excusing himself, the bearded man wobbled away, his arms locked together behind his slightly hunched back and going back to his newly repaired house.

For now, it would have to wait.

* * *

 **Hello, this is Kroissant!**

 **here I am, as promised-this time, twice the amount! (usually, it's around 5,000 words but now, 7,000!)**

 **Also, a little background behind the title-the brightest star in the sky is a reference to Brave Vesperia and Estelle (whose name means little star).**

 **As I've mentioned before, we are beginning to see the end of the dialogues borrowed from the game and the beginning of the post game.**

 **This was honestly tiring to write out as it was a lot of emotional built up to write toward Hanks-and the part with him screaming for Yuri's whereabouts was supposed to be the end of this chapter. But I didn't want to stop right and in the midst of the danger, Estelle came in to save the day.**

 **A lot of Hanks and Karol/Estelle bonding as they are the closest ones to Yuri besides Repede and Flynn. As much as I want to include the others, they don't appear to have a scene with Hanks nor are they acknowledged by him which is unfortunate.**

 **Anyway, just to keep in mind-after this chapter (and one/two more scenes at the beginning) will mark the end of the dialogues borrowed from the game and I will begin to interpret the yustelle shots from the post-credits scene.**

 **Also, I would like to say thank you again for your kind words and comments! They give me strength so thank you!**

 **Also, thank you to Cypher0120 and 9Tailsfan for their comments! I've listened to each and every song you've recommended and they are really good!**

 **Once more, feel free to leave a comment (and kudos in the A03 community) if you can! I'm open and eager to hear your opinions and criticisms!**

 **See you all tomorrow!**


	6. Dawn of a New World

The meeting was long and tedious.

And after what seemed to be about an hour or so, it was finally concluded. Dismissing himself, Hanks left the conference room to take a stroll outside.

Walking out of the town hall meeting, Hanks noticed a familiar sight in front of him—Yuri and Estelle, standing together and staring off at the strange-looking sky.

Smiling, he wobbled over to their general direction. As he walked further, he began to pick out some of their conversations.

"…Yeah. That's enough, right?" Yuri said to her, his ebony eyes boring with hers.

Estelle glanced over to her partner and nodded firmly. "Yes, it is."

Once he was at close proximity with them, Hanks took this opportunity to speak up. "I thought I heard a familiar voice!" He cried, alerting the pair and the canine. When he got a good look at his foster son, he forced out a bit of a light-hearted laughter. "Oh, it's really you!"

"Hanks!" Yuri addressed the bearded man, then to the teenagers following after him. "And everybody!"

Placing a hand on his hip, Hanks shot him a wary glance. "Don't go taking that young lady around everywhere," He warned, "She must be tired."

Yuri cocked his head to the side. "What do you mean?" Motioning his head to face the pink-haired woman beside him, he asked her, "Estelle, were you using your power?"

Hanks noticed the hesitation on Estelle's part and took this opportunity to answer for her. "She fixed up every wounded person who came back." He answered in a gentle tone, shifting his eyes to the princess who was surprised by his compliment. "We're all in her debt."

"If there's anything else I can do, please let me know," Estelle affirms to him, taking a step forward.

In return, Hanks mouthed a "thank you" to her. He then averted his focus in on the swordsman who appeared to be looking around the perimeter in search of something. "Nice to see that the Lower Quarter's back to normal," He noted with a solemn expression.

Hanks crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head. "Well, it'd be perfect if only that thing in the sky weren't there."

"Don't worry," Yuri assured his foster father with an encouraging smirk, "Leave it to Brave Vesperia."

Hearing this, Hanks did his best to restrain himself from chuckling. "There you go again," He replied back, lowering his head and sighing. "Just how are you going to close up that hole in the sky?"

"Hey, if anyone can do it, Yuri can!" One of the teenagers assured the bearded man.

"Yeah!" Another one piped in agreement. "He never makes promises he can't keep!"

Hanks mustered a tiny smile of his own. Before he could say something, a loud voice erupted from nearby.

"THAT'S FAR ENOUGH!"

Everyone stopped and turned to the direction of the voice. Upon recognizing the appearance of the Schwann Brigade, Hanks exhaled a sigh of relief. It seems that they were here to escort the princess for the umpteenth time…

"Now you?" Yuri spoke up, sounding irritated. "What do you want?"

Adecor was the first to stroll forward, laughing rather cynically. "I say, take a look at this!" Stopping in his tracks, he presented the dark-haired man with what appears to be a slightly tanned paper.

Curious, Yuri approached the tall, scrawny knight and seized hold of the paper. Looking down, he narrowed his eyes. "A warrant?" He wondered aloud, confusion etched in his tone. "…for ME?"

Walking ahead and pausing in front of her male partner, Estelle wore the same shocked look as he did. "Wait, just Yuri?" She wondered, her eyes widening.

"I say, a knight's duty is to apprehend the unlawful!" Adecor proudly declared as he straightened his posture.

Rolling his eyes, Yuri angled his body and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't get it. So, I'm the only one with a bounty on my head?" He pressed on, getting peeved. "Nobody else?"

"That has nothing to do with the matter at hand!" Boccos interrupted as he followed after his subdivision leader.

Clearing his throat, LeBlanc spoke up. "We have a proposal," He began, gaining the latter's attention. "Return to the knights, and this all goes away."

Yuri blinked once, then twice. "…Wait, what?"

"Someone high up is making a fuss about leaving you to do as you please," LeBlanc explained to him, his words as firm as ever. "So…"

"You'd feel better putting the reins on me," Yuri finished his sentence for him, sounding rather displeased.

Registering his words, LeBlanc nodded in confirmation with Adecor and Boccos following after his example. "Now, you've got the idea."

Clicking his tongue, Yuri lowered his head, mulling over the thought of what to do next.

A moment of silence ensued.

Having heard and watched everything, all Hanks could do was sigh. Knowing Yuri, he was sure going to find a way out of this. Bringing a hand over to his temple, he softly started counting down to three. "Two…one…"

On cue, Yuri suddenly cried with a surprisingly high-pitched tone. "Hey, Schwann!" And raised his arm to perform a wave.

Alarmed by this, the knightly trio stiffened in place.

"What?" LeBlanc suddenly cried, his eyes widening. "Where?"

Blinking, Hanks and the others moved their heads to the descending staircase leading to the entrance of the walls. He frowned deeply. As expected, there was no one there. He looked the other way, just in time to observe Yuri and Estelle slyly making their escape.

Hanks peered over his shoulder, making contact with Repede and giving him a nod of approval to continue.

The canine barked in understanding before fleeing as well.

Catching sight of the bearded man looking elsewhere, LeBlanc did the same. And then a mix of disappointment and anger caved in his chest, triggering him to exclaim with all his might, "Hey! Wait!"

Despite the knight's outburst, Yuri and Estelle kept sprinting to the long, winding road that would lead them to the Public Quarter. "So long, everyone!"

Unfazed by the commotion, Hanks curved his lips into a prideful grin. "Take care!" He responded back, hoping that his words of encouragement have been reached and received by his foster son. As he stood and watched the pair and the canine leave his field of vision, his ears picked up the sound of a stifling chuckle.

Arching an eyebrow, Hanks turned the other way to glance at the subdivision leader, LeBlanc, who in return stared back at him with a smile of his own. "Just as I thought," He began, shaking his head and sighing. "And I wouldn't have it any other way." Regaining his posture, he hastily turned to face his subordinates and began initiating orders to them. "Let's go! Arrest that man!"

Right away, Adecor and Boccos rushed ahead of him. Before LeBlanc could follow after them, he stopped to sneak a glance at the bearded man and the two teenagers behind him. Slowly, he began to take notice of the other members of the community beginning to emerge from their hiding—with Marie, Ted, and the children near the public inn waving at him.

LeBlanc cracked a tiny smile, waving to them in acknowledgment. He veered his fixation on their mayor—Hanks, who offered him a kind smile.

Bowing his head, LeBlanc whirled his head to see his two subordinates waiting for him near the road. "Let's get going!"

* * *

A week and a half had passed since Yuri and his friends left on another harrowing journey—and as detailed from Flynn's letter that was delivered to him yesterday, it seems that this time was much dire than he anticipated.

 _To Hanks,_

 _This is Flynn. I hope this letter finds you well._

 _I am writing to inform you that in about two days, Yuri and I—along with Lady Estellise, Repede, and the rest of the members of their guild, Brave Vesperia, are about to embark on a battle that would ultimately determine the outcome of our beloved Terca Lumireis._

 _We don't know what will happen to us but be aware that we are fighting the Adephagos—the calamity that is about to destroy our world as we know it—to save you, the Lower Quarter, as well as each and every person in this world. We hope that you can forgive us for what we are about to do as we all have agreed to stand firmly to our decision—to create a world without blastia._

 _That said, I cannot pinpoint when I will be able to send you another letter. For now, please don't worry. Believe in us and know that we will do whatever we can to come back home safely._

 _Best regards,_

 _Flynn_

Lowering the paper away from his face, the bearded man shifted his eyes to the window on the right side of his bedroom. Getting up from the bed, he wobbled his way over and proceeded to open the window pane as much as he could. Poking his head out, he gazed out at the starry skies before veering back to the letter he kept in his hand.

Flynn's letter was dated exactly two days ago—which means that any moment now, he might be able to witness the fruition of their efforts.

Before he could blink, something caught his attention.

There—in the direction of the floating castle were four flickering tiny, lights—blue, red, green, and brownish-yellow. Hanks squinted his eyes, trying to comprehend what was occurring. When he managed to set his sights on the scene, his mouth dropped open.

A burst of white lights came speeding through the skies, resembling those of shooting stars.

Awed by the scenery, he hastily rushed out of the room and headed for the staircase. As soon as he reached the ground floor of the living room, he pushed his way through the door, only to nearly trip halfway as he caught a glimpse of the colossal sword monument beginning to radiant brilliantly. Like the tiny, thousands of lights around him, the light from the sword was beginning to extract itself from its physical form to join the flock.

A high-pitched scream erupted, causing Hanks to turn his head quickly. "Ted!" And advanced toward the green-haired boy who was also being aided by Marie and some of the little girls around them. As he reached them, a bright blue light emanated from within the public fountain.

Without thinking, Hanks and Marie used themselves as shields to pry the light away from the children. Seconds later, the light diminished and the strange, eerie noises were gone. Reopening his eyes, Hanks dropped his arms and peered over his shoulder.

He glanced at the fountain for a few seconds, then lifted his chin to fix in on the large sword monument above their heads. Finally, he motioned his head back to the floating castle.

His eyes widened.

"Wow!" One of the little girls cried, jumping up and down. "So pretty!"

"What is that?" Marie voiced out her concern, though was unsure to receive an answer from the bearded man.

At the very tip of the floating castle was a gigantic white line in the shape of a bird feather. And up above, there appears to be some sort of monstrous void attempting to swallow it whole. The millions of tiny lights that he had seen were there as well, surrounding the feather and eliminating the wormhole for good.

Sprinkles of varied colors—mostly blues and greens, showered from down below. And it just so happened that Hanks, Marie, and the children were right on time to witness the beginning of a new age.

"…They did it." Hanks mouthed to himself, his lips slowly curving upwards as he continued to stare at the floating castle with admiration. "They saved the world…"

* * *

It was the beginning of a new world—one without the existence and dependence of blastia.

And though it was only two months since the final battle at Tarqaron, life continued to persist and prosper as it should be with new innovations rapidly spawning in response to the new change. For the Lower Quarter, this began with the installation of the public well.

For as long as Hanks could remember, the fountain was there long before he was even born. He'd admit, that the fountain was often quite a hassle as time and time again, the aque blastia would run out of power and the water inside would sprout out, leaving no available water to drink or use for bathing purposes for who knows how long.

But thanks to Yuri's suggestion—which by the way, was the first clever thing he came up with, Hanks and the community unanimously agreed for a well to be there, along with the implementation of a manual pump in case that the water from the well was not well-preserved.

By raising their funds, along with a bit of support from Flynn and Estelle who remained stationed at the Palace, their dream to build a well and a functional water pump became a success. And to commemorate on the success, Hanks requested for his foster son to invite his foster brother and the princess over to the Lower Quarter to join them for a celebration.

Later that afternoon, Yuri arrived back, only with Estelle. As for a certain blonde knight, his presence was nowhere to be found.

"As the new Commandant of the Imperial Knights, Flynn has a lot of business to attend to," Estelle explained to the bearded man in a polite manner.

Hanks nodded. "Well, that's expected," He drawled out, scratching his chin. He arched a questionable eyebrow. "And I'm guessing Yuri's got something to do with you being here, hmm?" Catching sight of her slightly flustered face, he chuckled lightly. "I'm just pulling yer leg, dear. I'm glad to see you well."

Beaming, Estelle replied back with, "Thank you for inviting me." Looking the other way, she smiled as she saw some of the children splashing water at Yuri and Repede who tried to counter back with their own. "It's wonderful to see everyone again." She then noticed a familiar middle-aged woman standing nearby, recognizing her instantly as Marie, and waved a hand toward her.

Catching this, the woman returned the gesture.

"You know, the children were asking for ya," Hanks pointed out, leaning back against a large crate and crossing his arms over his chest. "They were hoping to get you to read to them again. If yer up for it."

His grin widened when he saw her face lit up. "Really? I would love to!" She happily agreed.

Hanks chuckled lightly at how pure she reacted. "But for now, go have fun," He encouraged her as he jerked his chin over to the direction of where Yuri and the children were. "You came here to relax from all the nonsense in the castle, right?"

Estelle nodded, smiling sweetly. Bidding farewell, she advanced toward the direction of the public square where the others were.

Sighing deeply, the bearded man turned his head to take a look at the commotion—from where he stood, he noticed the princess conversing with the children who suddenly stopped what they were doing and flocked over to her, emitting cries of "Miss Estelle!", "You're here!" and "Storytime! Storytime!" in the open air.

Hanks slanted his head to the side as he watched Yuri observe the scene unfolding before him with a peaceful expression. Though his body language were the same—his left hand still situated on his hip and his impish smirk plastered on his face, it was the display of his facial features that seemed to change a little—particularly with the softness of his eyes.

And Hanks couldn't help but wonder if a certain pink-haired woman was involved somehow.

* * *

Nobody except for Hanks was aware that Yuri was a member of a guild—the infamous Brave Vesperia that became known far and wide as the group that saved the world from its inevitable doomsday. Though Hanks was conscious about this for quite a while now, it still pained him to see the piles of small boxes lined up outside of his foster son's room.

First, it was Flynn.

And now, Yuri.

Everything was slowly changing and poor Hanks was trapped in the middle between the past, present, and future. He knew that asking Yuri to stay with them in the Lower Quarter was a selfish thing to do. Then again, he also knew that this was for the best—as about a year ago, Yuri left Zaphias to find his place in the world and now that he has…

"You're growing up too fast," Hanks commented, gaining the attention of the dark-haired man sitting idly near the window. "Both you and Flynn…"

Yuri gave a half-shrug. "We can't stay like this forever, you know," He points out, choosing to avoid eye contact. "One way or another, this was bound to happen."

Hanks heaved a sigh. "I know…" With nothing left to say, the bearded man collected his hands on his lap and tightened his grip on them. "I just wish I could turn back time and relive some memories."

"You sure about that?" Yuri asked teasingly. "Flynn and I were full of trouble."

"Not so much with Flynn," Hanks corrected him, raising his head and turning to shoot him a glare. "But you…oh, I had a tough time controlling you. Couldn't sit still, kept stealing cookies from the cookie jar, and even brought home snakes and frogs from outside…"

The two sat in silence in the room that was originally meant for Yuri. Hanks took a moment to take in every little detail around him—the tiny cracks on the walls, the worn-out doggy bowl for Repede, and the drawings by the children displayed near the table. All of this—despite how trivial each of the possessions were, every single one of them contributed to some sort of memory, good or bad.

A few minutes passed and finally, Yuri spoke up.

"Don't know how much work I'll be doing but I'll make sure to visit every now and then," He assured, his voice becoming a mere whisper. "And maybe on my days off, I'll come running back and check up on you guys."

"…That sounds good," Hanks agreed, nodding along. "I'll tell Marie to reserve this room for you then."

Yuri glanced over at his foster father and frowned. "You don't have to do that,"

"I know, but you've been occupying this room for so long now," Hanks told him, followed by the shake of his head. "The least we could do is keep it clean and spotless for you until you come back for a visit."

Yuri opened his mouth to retort, only to be beaten by the latter again.

"You've done so much for us," Hanks added in, facing his foster son once more. "Let us do something for you as well."

Yuri closed his mouth, his eyebrows furrowed. Thinking it over, he cracked a grin. "Is breakfast on the house?"

Hearing this, Hanks snorted. "You wish,"

Yuri laughed earnestly as he leaned his back against the wall.

Catching this rare sight, Hanks couldn't help but widen his grin.

In the evening, there was a celebration throughout the Lower Quarter as a sort-of farewell to Yuri as he would be temporarily relocated at Dahngrest.

As always, Estelle was present and to their surprise, so was Flynn, the Schwann Brigade, and the entire Brave Vesperia guild.

The party was as eventful as ever—with Karol and Patty playing around with Repede and the children, Rita dancing with her decorative scrolls in response to the local band that Flynn hired for the occasion, Raven conversing with the knightly trio in the public inn and sharing drinks with them, Flynn chatting with old friends and those who admired him, Judith arm-wrestling any men who were swooning over her…it was a moment of solace and comfort, and another treasured experience that Hanks was more than happy to include in his memory of archives.

As for a certain pair, Hanks discovered them sitting on the steps of the staircase leading to the public inn. Away from prying eyes and ears, the two didn't seem to be at all aware of the latter's presence as they were too preoccupied with their own private discussion.

And then suddenly, the princess rose up and began making her way back upstairs.

Panicking, Hanks quickly hid behind the wall of a nearby house and silently observed them. He saw Yuri stood up as well, quickening his pace to catch up to her and once he did, took her wrist and opened his mouth.

Due to the loud noises in the area, he wasn't able to hear what they were saying. But from the looks of the gestures they were making, it appears as though he was trying to assure her about something.

Hanks watched as Estelle shook her head, said a few words, and then gently let go of his hold on her before bowing her head and walking away, leaving the dark-haired man alone to dwell in his thoughts.

As much as he wanted to know what was wrong and if there was anything he could do to help, he knew that this was a personal manner between the two of them. If he dared to step in and intervene, more problems would arise.

For now, the best thing Hanks could do was nothing and wait for either one of them to approach him.

…It never came.

* * *

One day, an announcement was made from the palace—the novel entitled Tales of Vesperia was recently published and distributed to the many stores throughout the world. The catch? It was written by the princess herself who wrote of the accounts and experiences she had prior to her journey which led up to her and her friends clashing against the Adephagos.

Immediately, the books were sold out in less than twenty-four hours and became critically acclaimed amongst the general public—young and old, men and women, including children praising it to be a literature masterpiece of the century.

To those who knew the princess, the fictional characters she wrote of were simple to distinguish—there was the rogue swordsman and his animal companion, the curious noblewoman, the cowardly boy, the genius girl, the man-eating lady, the traitor, the best friend, and the self-proclaimed love interest.

Marie and Ted, who went out the following day to purchase their own copies of the princess's book urged the bearded man to get one of his own.

"Why don't you just let me borrow one of yours?" He suggested innocently. "We save Gald and I get to read it!"

To his horror, both of them refused.

"We need to support Miss Estelle!" Ted argued, holding the book close to him.

Shaking his head, Hanks eventually admitted defeat and then went off to visit the nearby bookstore to purchase his own copy. A few minutes later and he made it back home. Brewing a cup of herbal tea and settling himself down on the couch, once he got himself comfortable, he began to open the purple cover of the book.

A light chuckle escaped his throat as he took note of the dedication page—

 **To the people I know, the people I don't know, and the spirits that were born anew**

 **This is a book in dedication to you.**

After that, there came the first chapter of the book. And in the next few hours, Hanks found himself engrossed with the narrative.

Similar to how Flynn inscribes his letters, Estelle wrote her book with impeccable penmanship. As for the imaginary events that she wrote of, everything was precise and to the tiniest of details. The adventure, the thrills, the horror, bravery and the main theme of justice—everything was there.

And yet, for some reason, Hanks couldn't help but be intrigued by the subtle romance between the two main protagonists. As he continued to read, the suspicion that he'd been having was gradually coming true. And on the sixth day, when he managed to completely finish reading the entirety of the novel, it finally dawned to him.

The two protagonists—the noblewoman and the rogue swordsman or in the princess's words, their names: Belle and Adam, were reflections of her and Yuri.

And then another thought occurred to him—

Did Yuri know that Estelle wrote a book about their entire journey?

More importantly, did he know that she wrote a romance about the two of them?

Luckily for Hanks, the answer would soon come into fruition as sometime in the afternoon, Estelle was expected to visit the Lower Quarter for her regular storytelling to the children in the orphanage.

* * *

…Unfortunately, Hanks had underestimated the princess's popularity.

Thanks to her book, Estelle was widely recognized throughout the general public, often being stopped to ask for autographs during her usual stroll. And as part of the success she attained, was even encouraged by Flynn and His Highness Ioder to write another one, preferably a sequel to the first one.

Despite the success she gained, Estelle remained sweet and humble as ever—viewing the success of her book as not a way for her to get popular but rather, to allow others to learn and understand why the decision to get rid of the world of blastia had to be done.

Much to the delight to the children and her fans who followed her to the Lower Quarter, Estelle thought that it'd be wonderful to read the book that she wrote aloud to them. For the past two and a half hours, that was exactly what she did.

"…Okay, let's stop here at chapter fourteen," Estelle noted, placing a floral-themed bookmark in the middle of the page and enclosing the book with her audience doing the same.

"Do any of you have any questions?"

At once, about ten hands shot up in the midst of the crowd.

Blinking, Estelle giggled lightly. "Okay, let's start with…" She pursed her lips, her seafoam eyes searching through the sea of many faces before finally landing on a small girl with pigtails. "Isabelle!"

The girl named Isabelle beamed, revealing her buck teeth. As she lowered her arm, she cried out, "What inspired you to write the romance between the two main characters?"

As soon as she finished her declaration, Estelle and Hanks (who stood from afar), widened their eyes. Immediately, heads were turned and eyes were zoomed in on the princess sitting in front of the crowd.

"Oh, well…" She trailed off, though the crimson flush on her cheeks was apparent. "No, I don't see them as being romantic partners…" She managed to say, nodding. "Adam and Belle have a platonic, almost a brother-and-sister like relationship."

Another hand shot up.

"Yes, Theodora?"

"I have a brother and he doesn't do things that the guy does to the girl!" The new voice, belonging to a teenager named Theodora, exclaimed, "Carrying someone bridal-style, catching them when they fall…that doesn't sound like what a sibling would do!"

Before Estelle could say something, she saw that another person stood up—this time, a young boy. "Yeah, I have a sister and I wouldn't do that to her!" He reasoned, "My mommy and daddy would read your book every night to us and they would even point out that some of the things that the guy does to the girl—daddy would do it to mommy!"

After that, more and more hands were raised abruptly.

Hanks sighed heavily. He then strolled over to where the princess was sitting and cleared his throat. "That's it for today's storytelling," He announced, which earned him loud groans and moans. Crossing his arms, he leaned a bit forward and shot them a glare. "If you don't abide by my orders, there won't be a next time!"

Threatened by his words, the children and fans quickly sprang into action, apologizing to them and excusing themselves—few minutes later, and the crowds have finally diminished, leaving Hanks and the pink-haired woman alone.

"…Thank you,"

Hearing this, Hanks moved his head to face the slightly worn-out princess. His facial features softened as he watched her slowly stand up and bow her head to him. "No, don't do that," He said to her, his voice gentle. "I read your book, you know. Pretty entertaining." Collecting his hands behind his back, he chuckled. "I liked the way you described everything."

Estelle smiled, thanking him again.

"…Something's bothering you," Hanks pointed out, after a moment of silence. "Why don't you tell me what's the matter?"

The pink-haired woman tightened her grip on her book, almost hesitated to say what was on her mind.

Sensing this, Hanks shook his head. "If it's troubling you, you don't need to tell me— "

Estelle shook her head and smiled. "They are right…" She mumbled, lowering her head and looking elsewhere. "About the main protagonists and the implicit romance between them."

Hanks stood quietly, waiting patiently for her to continue.

"No matter how hard I try to cover up the evidence or convince them that nothing's between the main characters, it's painfully obvious that there is," She went on, her eyes downcast. "Even the readers are aware of the relationship. And I can't help but wonder if that means…" And closed her mouth, chewing on her bottom lip.

But Hanks heard her words and caught on to what she was implying.

"The main characters—Belle and Adam, are they inspired by you and Yuri?"

Estelle meekly nodded.

"Does Yuri know?"

She shook his head.

Hanks smiled. "You know," He began, reaching out to place his hand on her shoulder and squeezing it. "It doesn't hurt to at least tell him what you truly feel. And if you think that your words are not enough," He then points to the cover of her book and added, "Let him read this and wait for his reaction."

* * *

As Hanks recommended, Estelle sent out a personal copy to Yuri who was currently stationed at Dahngrest. For extra measure, he also advised her to write a note to Karol, Judith, and Repede—instructing them to let Yuri read the book during his spare time.

Since the swordsman wasn't fond of writing letters, there was no telling how they were able to get a reply back anytime soon.

Together, Hanks and Estelle waited, filling the void with more accounts from each other. Few days passed and when Hanks had run out of things to tell her, he resorted to finally reveal something that's dear to his heart—how he first met his beloved wife, Jiri.

"We met in the outskirts of Zaphias," Hanks began, looking out into the distance. "I was pretty young, around my mid-twenties. I got attacked by one of the monsters in the area. I couldn't fight nor flee and they were advancing toward me pretty fast."

The memory of a mysterious silhouette—donning a hood and cape appeared out of nowhere, and with her signature, Second Star sword had slashed through the abdomen of the ferocious monsters in a few mere seconds. Hanks smiled as he remembered the first time he laid eyes on his savior—who was later revealed to be a woman, and a beautiful one at that.

"She looked strange to me, completely foreign from around here," He went on, placing a hand on his lap and nodding to himself. "It wasn't love at first sight but once we got to know each other, we knew that we wanted to spend our lives together."

Hearing this, Estelle curved her lips to produce a smile. "What a wonderful story," She commented, her eyes softening. Bringing her hands close to her chest, she closed her eyes and sighed heavily. "Kind of reminds me of how I first met Yuri—I'd admit, that I was scared of him and…"

While Estelle continued with her speech and Hanks keenly listened, something caught his eye—or rather, a familiar dark-haired man descending down the staircase with the canine at his side.

The bearded man's eyes widened as a burst of excitement spread throughout his body. He was ready to open his mouth and cry out his foster son's name when he noticed the latter bringing a finger to his lips, followed by a mischievous wink.

Immediately, Hanks realized his intentions and rolled his eyes. Even so, he closed his mouth and turned his attention back to the princess, who remained oblivious to the swordsman's presence behind her.

"…I hope that my words were able to reach him," She finally finished, smiling to herself. "I wonder…what would he say?"

Hanks watched as Yuri slightly crouched to his knees, leaning forward to whisper softly in her ear. "You don't need to wait anymore."

Estelle squeaked, jolting in her spot. She quickly turned her head to face the swordsman who looked back at her with a triumphant smirk. "Yuri—"

Suddenly, he took her into his arms and twirled her around, his laughter infectious and spreading throughout the perimeter of the public area. Seconds later, Estelle joined in as she tightened her hold on the man's tunic.

Hanks inwardly smiled, secretly pleased to see them to finally become reunited again.

"Hanks,"

Hearing his name being called, the bearded man blinked and peered upwards to look at his foster son.

"Mind if I take her off your hands for a few minutes?"

"Why ask for my permission?" Hanks retorted back, cackling. "We were just finished talking,"

Yuri nodded, followed by a smile. Keeping Estelle close to his chest, he insisted that they talk somewhere else. "You alright going outside the barrier and talk it over?"

Ignoring the burning sensation on her cheeks, Estelle bobbed her head. "I'd like that."

Yuri cracked a grin, her words music to his ears. "We'll come back,"

Hanks nodded and watched Yuri, who was still carrying Estelle bridal-style, jogged rather animatedly down the staircase leading to the entrance of the border.

"Woof!"

The bearded man turned to face Repede who was settling himself next to him and chuckled. He brought a hand to pat the canine in an affectionate manner. In response, the canine stuck out its tongue and released a wail.

And so, they both sat there in silence, admiring the splendor of the blue, afternoon skies.

About thirty minutes later, the pair returned—both walking side by side, their expressions neutral and with no trace of negativity. Down below, Hanks noticed that their hands were often brushing against each other, as if anticipating for the other's touch.

Choosing not to disturb their privacy, Hanks remained quiet about it and welcomed them back.

* * *

Yuri finally got around to visiting the Lower Quarter in the next few months, and quite often, Estelle would be there to join Hanks and the community whenever he dropped by—though to their disappointment, was mostly unannounced.

During his stay, Yuri would use his old room and assist at the public inn. Other times, he'd greet them and then claimed that he was only there to pick up Estelle to have a little journey of their own—with Repede if he'd like to be included. But most of the time, it would be just the two of them.

Over time, Hanks and the community became suspicious of their close relationship—is it platonic? Is it romantic?

No one knew for sure.

And this would continue for another few months.

In the duration of that time, Marie, Ted, the community—and of course, Hanks were beginning to question.

It just so happened that around that time, Brave Vesperia came over to pay them a visit. Here they were, huddled together in a small circle in the staircase near the public inn—often eyeing a certain pair who strayed a little far from them and having their own private conversation. Meanwhile, Hanks and Repede stood on guard, slanting their backs on the wall and listening attentively to their exchanges.

"I caught them sharing a cup of pudding together!" Karol points out, his eyes gleaming with interest. As his words settled in, he sheepishly grinned. "Well, they had their own spoons but that still counts, right?"

Judith pursed her lips and then shook her head. "No, that's not enough evidence," She commented, smiling pleasantly. "Oh! Remember that one time when Estelle visited our garrison? We had some spare rooms for her to choose but she went off to Yuri's and slept on his bed."

Rita scoffed. "What are you talking about? Anybody would do that!" She protested, folding her arms. "I do that with the floor all the time!"

Raven cast her a languid look. "Rita, darlin', that's just you…"

"Why would Yuri go with Estelle when he can go with me?" Patty inquired, sticking out her tongue. "I'm more wife material than her!"

While the friends were in a heated argument with each other, they failed to take notice of Yuri and Estelle walking away.

Cracking one eye open, Hanks fixed his sights on them as they began to scale the long, winding road overhead. Again, there seemed to be no hint of their intimate relationship but one thing was clear, there was definitely something between them.

* * *

Hanks was the first to find out that they were secretly dating.

…Despite them not announcing this, there was a certain incident that Hanks had stumbled himself into—and it happened on a cloudy morning.

Last night, Yuri had turned twenty-three years old, and to the Lower Quarter's delight, he stopped by to visit them along with his friends.

The party was small and simple—and in a typical Lower Quarter fashion, they danced and celebrated the night away…which resulted in the majority of the adults, including Flynn and Raven to receive throbbing migraines.

Because of this, Judith and Patty became the unfortunate pair to tend to them. As for Karol and Rita, they were instructed by Hanks to remove any dosage of alcohol in sight in case one of them were to show up and try to reclaim it.

As usual, the children were sent off to bed quite early and the ones who managed to sneak out got quite an earful from Marie.

Of all the things that happened at the party, there was one in particular that stood out to Hanks the most. It was Yuri and his drinking—usually in occasions like this, he'd be challenging others on a drinking game. And for some reason, he wasn't drinking as much as he regularly did, resorting with downing only one or two shots and then ending it.

At first, Hanks thought that the reason behind it was somewhat connected to Karol claiming that there was a lot of workloads to be done in their headquarters.

…Or so they assumed.

Luckily for Hanks, he wasn't a heavy drinker and managed to save himself from a migraine like the rest. With him being one of the few remaining somber, he took up the duty of gathering everyone at the inn for a serving of breakfast.

After his rounds in the neighborhood—knocking on doors and delivering the message to every man, woman, and elderly—he scurried off to the staircase next to the inn that would lead him to his foster son's room.

He knocked on the door, only to find out that it was unlocked from the other side.

Moving the door slowly, he was about to step in and project his voice out loud when something caught his attention.

There were clothes and undergarments on the floor.

Eyes widening, Hanks quickly glanced over to the bed—and there, he noticed long, dark mane and a blob of pink at the edge of the headboard, their naked bodies covered and nestled within the comforts of the blankets, with exposed legs twisted together.

Though he didn't have a proper angle of their faces, he could tell that they were embracing each other as he saw a slender arm gently placed on his foster son's head and another wrapped around a petite waist which belonged to the pink-haired woman.

Hanks stood for a moment, waiting for any indication of their breathing. And when he caught it, he let out a sigh of relief. Slowly, he closed the door shut and brought his hands behind his back. Smiling, he walked back to the staircase.

There, at the end of the steps was Repede waiting for him.

As he approached the dog, Hanks couldn't help but laugh. "You knew all along, didn't you?" He wondered, reaching out to pat him on the head.

Propping the large pipe from the left through right, Repede lifted his chin and barked in response.

* * *

 **Hello!  
First, I would like to apologize for my lateness! I meant to publish this earlier but then sleep took over me and wasn't able to do it in time. To make it up, I inserted a bonus scene at the end -I hope that it satisfies you!**

 **Also, this chapter concludes the end of the borrowed dialogue from the game and beginning the post-game credits and the future.**

 **Chapter 7 was supposed to be the end but because I've enjoyed writing this so much, I decided to extend it a little more-there were three parts of each (chapters 1-3 were of Yuri's childhood, 4-6 is the game, which means that 7-9 would be the future)**

 **Oh and one more thing-background of the title: Dawn of a new world was inspired by the chapter-changes are coming all over Terca Lumireis, which would also affect the cast as well.**

 **...I honestly still cannot believe that I wrote this chapter, there's so much Yustelle fluff!**

 **Also, sorry Hanks but Repede's the one who knew first! (but don't worry, you're a close second)**

 **And in case anybody points out, yes-the references to the characters, Adam and Belle are of Beauty and the Beast (another allusion that the Yustelle community would often compare them with)**

 **Later today or tomorrow, I will be updating chapter 7-and this time, we get to see a different perspective besides Hanks-wonder who it could be?**

 **Anyway, that's all for now!**

 **Gotta get back on the saddle and keep writing!**

 **Again, thank you so much for your wonderful comments and (kudos in the A03 community!)**

 **As mentioned before, feel free to leave a comment if you can! I'm open and eager to hear of your opinions and criticisms!**

 **That's all for now! See you later!**


	7. Here's to the Road Ahead

**OH MY GOD! YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO LOVE THIS!**

 **Background of the title- 'here's to the road ahead' is a statement that Yuri and Estelle would keep saying over and over and I can't help but feel like it evokes so much meaning. It's vague and simple, and yet, it carries the connection between these two so much**

 **And so, I decided to use this statement for my own purposes-and at the very end of this chapter, you'll see why~**

 **I won't spoil you but all I can say is this-ENJOY and WEEP/CRY TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT**

 **Also, I dedicate this chapter to SpaceMalarkey at A03 community (the one who inspired me to write this lovely chapter-I hope that this was enough and sorry if I wasn't able to incorporate the badass Estelle that you wanted but I did it in my own way and I hope you can forgive me)**

 **ANYWAY, ENJOY AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU ALL THINK IN THE COMMENTS BELOW! I'M EAGER TO KNOW YOUR OPINIONS AND CRITICISMS!**

* * *

It took three more months for everyone else to find out on their own.

After Repede and Hanks, Rita was the next one. During the weekends, she would often come to pay a visit to her best friend at the Palace and whenever she does, she always seems to find Yuri lingering around. At first, she thought that he was there to discuss something with Flynn or like her, hang out with a certain princess…until she caught them sharing a kiss in the library.

Both Karol and Patty found out at the same time—after stocking up the guild's supplies, they went back to the living room to see the pair on the couch, with Yuri's head resting on top of Estelle's lap and the latter gently brushing off the strands of hair on his face. It was such a peaceful sight, not even the young pirate girl could bring herself to say something and instead, suggested that they should give them some privacy.

As one of the older members of the group, Judith and Raven already had the assumption that they've been dating but preferred not to say anything until they got the confirmation. While waiting for that to happen, the two would secretly be making bets—who was the first to confess, who decided on what to do during their spare time, who was the top or bottom when it came to their sexual activities, and so on.

And finally, there was Flynn who was the last to find out.

Though unlike the others, he had happened to come across a rather scandalous moment between them during one of his patrols around the Palace. Recently, he'd been gaining reports from one of the guards regarding the strange noises coming from the depths of the library. Determined to solve the problem, the knight went ahead and entered—only to discover that it was his childhood friend/foster brother and the princess making out inside one of the secret passageways.

What followed afterward were the scurry of footsteps and ear-piercing screams—as Yuri advanced through the hallways, half-naked, with Flynn already hot on his trail, with a murderous gaze and his White Knight sword at hand and ready to attack…and chasing after him was poor Estelle, who's hair was disoriented and her exposed neck filled with red swollen marks, trying to keep up in hopes to stop the latter from attempting to execute her boyfriend.

Thanks to the incident, even the members of the Council and some of the Imperial Knights, including the Schwann Brigade were notified of the pair's relationship.

As expected, the majority disapproved of this, claiming that someone hailing from the Lower Quarter, especially Yuri, who's renowned for his reputation as an infamous vigilante, would be tainting the royal blood and putting the future line of royal descendants in jeopardy.

To their surprise, Ioder was the one to defend them—pointing out that with Yuri as a member of a guild, allowing him and his cousin to get together would surely strengthen the affiliation between Dahngrest and Zaphias in the future.

"I've never seen Estellise this happy before," The prince expressed openly to the Council and Imperial Knight representatives who were seated in the round table in the large conference room. "And either of you plans on taking away the one source of happiness she has, then by all means…" Smiling pleasantly, he proceeded to deliver his next sentence with a hint of malice. "Raise your hand so I can officially terminate you from your service."

Every single person in the room were stiffened in place, bewildered to hear those words come out of his mouth. Despite his weak and feeble appearance, he sure knew how to dominate the room. They cast glances at each other, waiting for any of them to surrender their title and leave.

A few minutes passed and still, nothing.

Ioder smiled, quite pleased.

"Good," And seated himself on his chair. Taking his reading glasses from the table and pushing them to the bridge of his nose, he seized hold of the documents laid out before him and cleared his throat. "Now, let's continue with what we are here to discuss…"

* * *

Now that the word of Yuri and Estelle going out were public—mostly in the Palace, the Lower Quarter, and amongst the members of Brave Vesperia, they made certain that the two of them spend more time with each other (though it took longer for a certain blonde knight to accept it and try not to swing his weapon at the smirking swordsman)

With Ioder being chosen as the future emperor to lead the empire, this allowed his cousin, Estelle, to be given more free time besides studying and being locked up in her room.

Taking pride in her accomplishments, he entrusted her with the Blue Crystal Rod, a ceremonial staff that indicated her status as his right-hand woman and vice-emperor in times of need. That way, she wouldn't be pressured with choosing to remain at the castle or go outside and journey with her friends.

Back at Dahngrest, Karol made sure to be wary with where he stationed Yuri on his work—often times, relocating him at towns near Zaphias to give him a chance to visit Estelle, Hanks, and the community.

It's about a year since then and everything was back to the usual norms.

Through the aid and support of their friends and family, Yuri and Estelle were able to spend more quality time together without any intrusions or problems.

It all seemed well for a good long while…

Until one cloudy afternoon, behind the large crates below the staircase of the inn—there seemed to be some sort of commotion coming from Ted and the children.

From the looks of their disappointed faces, they seemed to be venting out their anger and complaints concerning a certain princess.

After she was finished with her storytelling, Estelle would usually play with them—most of the time, it involved them playing with the water pump, with girls and boys teaming up and splashing water against the other, or making snacks under her supervision.

But now that she's with Yuri, it seems that the activities they used to do with her were slowly fading away into non-existence. Hoping to get a chance to hang out with Estelle again, they started formulating their plans.

"It's not fair!" One of the boys cried, making a pouty face. "Why does big brother Yuri have to take away Miss Estelle from us?"

"We can't let that happen!" A little girl wailed, stomping her feet.

Ted bobbed his head in agreement. "There must be some way to get her to stay here longer with us…" He mumbled under his breath, followed by a low groan. "What do you guys think?"

The rest of the children ruminated through their thoughts, trying to think of a solution.

Suddenly, one of the girls cried out, "Oh, oh! I got it!" Excusing herself, she ran inside the inn, leaving the others to glance at each other in confusion. Two minutes later and the little girl returned, holding what appears to be a thick brown book. Opening the front cover and flipping through the pages, she finally landed on one particular page. "Check this one out!"

The other children leaned in to take a look at the picture displayed before them. "Is that…a bird?"

"No, a Penguinist! You know, those black and white flying monsters from the Blade Drifts of Zopheir!" The girl clarified to them, a bit annoyed. When she received a few odd looks, she released a frustrated groan.

"Anyway!" And then pointed a finger to the page she was referring to, "It says right here that when a Penguinist finds the one that they love, they would search the entire beach to find a perfect pebble to give to their partner! And when they find it, they would give the pebble to them!"

She smiled brightly as she continued to read the passage with confidence, "And see here? The pebble is a symbol of their love! And that they would always be together forever!"

One of the girls cheered. "We love Miss Estelle so this is perfect!" She chirped, bouncing up and down.

"Yeah!" A boy exclaimed, revealing his two front teeth. "So, that covers the requirement!"

"This plan can't fail for sure!" Another girl cheered, clapping her hands enthusiastically.

Overwhelmed with joy, the green-haired boy jumped to his feet and raised a fist bump into the air. "That settles it! After lunch, let's head down the river with buckets and fetch some pebbles!"

* * *

On the other side of the Lower Quarter—on the ground floor level of a slightly run-down house, foster father and son were sitting on a couch in the living room. Each holding a mug of brewed herbal tea, the two were engaged in a private matter of their own.

"So, when are ya gonna tie the knot with her?"

The instant he heard this, Yuri tried his best not to choke or spat out his drink. Collecting himself, he cast a weird look at the bearded man who stared back at him with an amusing grin.

"What kind of a question is that?" He asked, bringing his other hand to rake his hair through his mane as he groaned. "Honestly, I don't know…the Council's been dragging my ass around and interrogating me lately. Something about how I'm nothing more than a legal concubine to Estelle or whatever— "

Something hit him on the head, startling him. Quickly, he turned to face the bearded man and raised a questionable eyebrow. "What was that for?"

"Never say that again!" Hanks suddenly cried, shooting him a glare.

The dark-haired man blinked. "…What? Concubine?"

Again, he was hit on the head. "Hey!"

"I forbid you from saying that!"

"Okay, fine! Geez!" He cried as he placed his hand on his throbbing head and massaging it. "What's with you all of a sudden?"

Sighing, Hanks lowered his arm and veered his eyes to the wooden flooring. Putting his mug on the nearby coffee table, he spoke up, "Yuri, be honest with me…Do you really see yourself that way?"

"Huh?"

Facing the swordsman once more, Hanks continued. "Do you feel inferior whenever you are around Estelle?"

Yuri furrowed his eyebrows. "I don't care about her title. Princess or not, she's still Estelle to me." He explained, putting his beverage on the table as he crossed his arms over his chest. "There's no feeling of inferiority or superiority between us."

Hanks mustered a tiny smile. "Good, good," He mumbled, nodding along. "Then, keep thinking that way and don't let those higher-ups get to yer head."

Yuri scoffed. "Easy for you to say…" He grumbled, looking the other way.

Unfortunately, Hanks heard this and sighed.

Adjusting his glasses, he began with, "You know, when you weren't around," He glanced down at his joined hands on top of his lap. "Estelle would have so many men courting her, both in the nobility and in the Lower Quarter. She could've chosen any one of them but no—she chose you because she wanted to be with you. She loved you and saw a future with you." Finally, he turned his head to lock eyes with the dark-haired man. "Tell me, Yuri, and be honest with me now. Do you see a future with her?"

Yuri stayed quiet, contemplating over his foster father's words. Slowly, his lips curved slightly upwards.

"We've actually been talking about it for a while now…" He admitted, chuckling lightly. "That if the Council or the Imperial Knights refuse to accept our relationship, we'll run away together and live in Halure…find a house closest to the big tree, like what she would've wanted and then maybe…" He stopped right there, heaving a deep breath as he recalled the conversation that he had with his girlfriend the other day.

" _When we're ready, maybe we could start planning…"_

" _Planning what?'_

 _Estelle flashed a big smile toward his direction. "You know, building our future. And maybe…" She collected her hands together and brought them close to her chest, closing her eyes as she muttered softly. "…start a family together."_

At that time, it never occurred to Yuri how serious Estelle was about the two of them. And yet for some reason, he couldn't help but secretly yearn for it…a family, complete with children of their own—sporting pink hair and ebony eyes or black hair and green eyes…

Such a thought made him unconsciously smile.

When he was young, he never dreamed of finding himself in a situation like this—suddenly, he was committed to another human being, a woman who unconditionally loved him for who he was regardless of his status or the blood in his hands, who supported him and was there for him when he needed it the most…he found them all in Estelle and never once did he ever question about it.

Two years later and here they were, still committed and supporting each other despite the great distance between them when it came to their work.

While Yuri was drowning in his thoughts, Hanks took notice of the strange smile on his lips and frowned. Minutes passed and he grew worried. When he called out his foster son's name but didn't get a response, all he could do was sigh.

Suddenly, his ears picked up a muffled sound coming from the front door. Standing up, the bearded man staggered over, twisting the knob, and pushing it open.

"Ted?"

"H-Hanks!" The boy cried, revealing a set of white teeth. "Can I borrow a bucket from you? Pretty please?"

Hanks blinked, unable to grasp the meaning behind his words. "What?"

"Or a plastic bowl or a pail?" Ted suggested while trying to regain his breathing. "Whatever you have is fine!"

Hanks pursed his lips, thinking it over. "Let's see here…" And ushered the boy to come inside. As Ted closed the door behind them, he followed after the old man who went over to the nearest closet and started rummaging inside. "This'll take a minute…"

Ted nodded, "Take your time!" And then turned around, beaming brightly when he immediately spotted his brotherly figure sitting on the couch. He hastily raced over and greeted the swordsman with optimism. "Yuri!"

"Hey, Ted!" Yuri greeted back, rising up from his seat and walked over to playfully tousle his hair. "Making mischief again, I see,"

"Look who's talking!" Ted countered back, laughing. "Oh, by the way, is Miss Estelle coming tomorrow for another reading?"

Yuri nodded. "She should be," He confirmed, setting a hand on his hip. "It's her favorite pastime,"

Hearing those words were enough to make Ted's face lit up. "Really? Oh, I can't wait!"

"Ted, come over here," Hanks called him over, gaining their attention.

Nodding, the boy scurried to the bearded man's side and graciously took the bucket in his hands.

Catching sight of this, Yuri raised an eyebrow. "What's it for?"

Ted peered up to look at him and gave him a toothy smile. "It's a secret!" Reverting his focus back to the other male, he thanked him before heading out the door.

Once he left their field of vision, both father and son turned to look at each other.

"What was that about?" Yuri spoke up, breaking the ice.

Hanks half-shrugged. "Beats me," He mumbled, followed shortly by an exasperated sigh. "Ted's always been the weird one out of the bunch." He snuck a glance at the dark-haired man and chuckled. "Sort of takes after you,"

Yuri's eyes widened. "Hey!" He cried, though he couldn't seem to contain the grin plastered on his face.

Hanks laughed. "Just messing with ya," He assured him, patting him on the shoulder. He then gestured his arm over to the two empty mugs situated on the coffee table in the living room and added, "Anyway, do me a favor and clean that up,"

Yuri nodded, "Sure," He replied, already doing so. "What about you?"

"I'm gonna take a quick nap," Hanks yawned, making his way to the stairs. As he started ascending up the steps, he paused and looked over to his foster son who already got a hold of the cups on each hand.

"Yuri,"

Hearing his name, the swordsman stopped and peered upwards. "Yeah?"

The bearded man softened his gaze. "If ya really serious about her, start thinking about yer next step," He warned him in a gentle tone. "You never know…someone might take her highness's hand in marriage before you do…"

* * *

After leaving his foster father's house, Yuri started pondering about what to do.

Hanks was right on the Gald—in any serious relationship, the next fundamental step would be to get married.

"…Proposing to her sounds like the normal thing to do," He muttered to himself as he paced back and forth inside the confinements of his room. Closing his eyes, he tried to recall how much Gald he had in his possession. When it suddenly dawned to him that he didn't have enough to purchase an engagement ring, he let out a groan. "And of course, my bad luck would bite me in the dust…"

Mentally beating himself for it, he decided that the best thing to do was to wait. And once he saved up enough Gald, maybe then he'll be able to get down on one knee and confidently declare the big question that he'd always wanted to ask her.

He grinned, liking the sound of his idea.

And just like that, brushed away the anxious feeling in his chest and slept with Repede keenly observing him in the background.

Bur of course, Yuri was in for a rude awakening as the universe had other plans for him—which seemed to include a mob of children who were ready to steal his girlfriend away.

* * *

The next day arrived and with it, blessed the Lower Quarter folks with the blue sky and white clouds.

Huddled together, Ted and the children grinned to themselves before erupting into fits of giggles and chuckles.

"What's with you guys?" Marie asked, smiling. "You've been in good spirits since yesterday."

"Oh, it's nothing!" Ted assured the middle-aged woman with a toothy grin. "We just can't wait to see Miss Estelle!"

Hearing this, Marie couldn't help but feel touched by his declaration. "You really love her, don't you?"

"Yes!" The rest of the other children cried unanimously, followed shortly by another burst of laughter.

Marie smiled, leaning over their table to reclaim the dishes they used to eat their breakfast. Before she could say something, she heard a strange whistling from outside.

"SHE'S HERE!" A high-pitched voice exclaimed, belonging to one of the girls from outside.

On cue, the children quickly excused themselves from the inn and scampered off to the small square where the public well was located. As soon as their eyes landed on the pink-haired woman holding another book in her hands, they quickened their pace.

"Miss Estelle!"

"You're here!"

"Yay! Storytime!"

Taking notice of the large mass of children coming toward her, all Estelle could do was giggle, crouch down to her knees and opened her arms, welcoming the little troublemakers into her arms…sadly, she had underestimated the numbers and ended up getting toppled over in the process. Even so, she laughed heartily and in response, the children did the same.

Removing themselves from her, some of the boys and girls helped their princess properly sit upright and surrounded her.

"You all are full of energy today," Estelle pointed out, "Did something wonderful happened?"

The children looked at each other, exchanged grins before looking back and nodding their heads in unison.

Smiling sweetly, Estelle asked them to share the information with her.

As the leader of the children, Ted stepped forth. "Miss Estelle, on behalf of the Lower Quarter orphanage, we just wanna say that we love spending time with you and we hope that you will continue to read us stories and hang out with us!"

Estelle tipped her head to the side, placed a hand to her chest and bowed her head. "Why, thank you so much," She expressed, blushing a little, "I, too feel the same way."

"Really?" A little girl chirped, smiling widely.

The princess bobbed her head in response.

Together, the children cheered.

"That's great to hear!" Ted went on, suddenly getting excited. "Because we have a proposition!"

Curious, Estelle quirked her eyebrow. "Oh?"

Peering over his shoulder, the green-haired boy gave each and every boy and girl around him a knowing look. Turning back to face the princess, he took another step forward.

From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of his big brother Yuri and Repede descending down from the Public Quarter with a heap of grocery bags in their arms (and for the canine's case, one perched on his mouth and another strapped on his back)—it seemed like they were returning from one of Marie's errands.

Ted quickly bracing himself, inhaling in a deep breath as he proceeded to take out the small item from inside his pocket. Seeing this, the other children followed after them.

"MISS ESTELLE!" The children cried all together, earning looks from the wandering men, women, elderly—even Hanks who just walked out of his house.

As for Yuri and Repede, upon hearing this, they both stopped in their tracks and watched the incident unfold before them.

"WE LOVE YOU!" They exclaimed at the top of their lungs as they proceeded to take out and present the pebbles toward the shocked princess. **"PLEASE MARRY US!"**

Estelle's eyes slowly widened, her hands placed over her mouth as she tried to process their declaration.

…An awkward of silence was filled in.

Collecting his ragged breathing, Ted slightly slanted his head and inwardly grinned when he caught sight of Yuri staring at them, completely frozen in place.

Meanwhile, Repede sat down and began scratching his neck with one of his legs. He then turned to a familiar bearded man who looked back at him with his mouth propped open.

Based on their looks, Ted and the children exchanged triumphant smiles. Yes, their plan worked! And now, all they needed to do was wait for the pink-haired woman's impending answer.

Another moment of awkward silence ensued.

Shuffling his feet, Ted slowly walked over to the princess and asked if she was okay.

Blinking her seafoam eyes, Estelle forced a smile and nodded her head in reply.

Again, the children cheered while some sighed in relief.

"So? What do you think?" Ted pressed on, a bit jumpy.

"I-uh…" Estelle trailed off, pausing briefly to choose her words carefully. "I don't know what to say," Inhaling a deep breath, she looked at each and every single boy and girl and offered them a smile. "It must've taken a lot of courage for all of you to do this,"

Something lightly tugged her on the shoulder, catching her attention.

"Miss Estelle?"

Moving her head to face the little-ponytailed girl, she smiled. "Yes, sweetie?'

"So, are you gonna accept our pebbles?"

Estelle blinked. "You mean the ones that you have in your hands?"

The children nodded at once, smiling. "Yeah! We read in a book that if we give you pebbles, that means you'll stay with us forever and ever!"

"…Oh, I see," Estelle mumbled, finally understanding what they meant. Glancing over the pebbles resting in their hands, she smiled and said, "Why don't you give me some time to think it over? Would that be alright with all of you?"

Ted and the children gathered in a circle, closing in as they began to discuss over the matter. Once they reached a common conclusion, Ted took the initiative to be their lead speaker. "Sure! Anything for you, Miss Estelle! Take as much time as you want!"

Estelle smiled and mouthed a soft, "thank you" to them before standing up from the ground. Dusting off the invisible dirt from her white and pink dress, she took notice of their spectators around the area. Despite their eyes focused on her, she resorted to raising her hand and waving to them.

Some nodded, others waved back in return.

Then, she turned to glance over at Hanks who couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle to himself. He then directed his finger behind her and she followed. Her eyes widened as she saw her boyfriend standing in front of her, his expression somber…with a hint of jealousy in his eyes.

Smiling, Estelle approached him and pecked him on the cheek. "Don't worry, I'll take care of it," And after waving her hand toward Repede who barked back, she excused herself and made her way back to the children waiting for her in the public square.

From a distance, Yuri watched his girlfriend interact with Ted and the children—even though they made quite a scene about a few minutes ago, she simply brushed it off and allowed herself to take control of the situation, acting as if nothing had happened at all.

Suddenly, he heard a soft chuckle next to him. Yuri moved his head to the right, unsurprised to find his foster father standing next to him.

"Told ya someone's gonna do it first," He cackled while shaking his head in dismay.

Yuri rolled his eyes. 'They're just kids," He said, his tone as calm as ever. "They don't know what they're saying."

Hanks snorted. "Oh? Don't tell me that you don't remember the time when you first fell in love?" He reminded the dark-haired man, which earned him a baffled look. "You were the same age as these kids. But unlike that witch, Estelle handled it well."

When Yuri didn't have a comeback, Hanks continued. "You better hurry now—it seems like the children managed to rile up some of the men with their public proposal," He pointed out, jerking his chin over to a certain group of young males nearby. Casting a quick glance at his foster son, his eyes softened. "Do what you think is right and I'll be here to support you all the way,"

* * *

For the rest of the day, Yuri was alone to ponder and think.

Quite often, he would find himself staring at the banks of the river, gazing intently at the small pebbles that were similar to the ones that the children gave to his girlfriend earlier.

Rolling up the sleeves of his tunic and pants, he proceeded to bend down to his knees. He threw his hands inside the cold depths of the water before withdrawing it back. His lips remained in a straight, thin line as his eyes fixated on the tiny fragmented pieces of dirt and sand on his open left palm.

Fueled with determination, he inserted both hands this time and started moving around. About two and a half hours later, he managed to collect at least five small pebbles and three large rocks.

Gathering them in his arms, he headed straight for his room.

Unknown to him, a certain bearded man looked out through his window, his eyes fixed on the swordsman. Crossing his arms over his chest, he mustered a smile of approval.

* * *

"Okay, this is it…" Yuri mumbled to himself, pacing back and forth with his hands inside the pockets of his hands. "You can do this…" In an effort to ease his worry, he cast a quick glance at his canine companion who seemed to be observing his every move.

"Yuri!"

The swordsman quickly turned around, surprised to find Hanks, Ted, and Marie standing not too far away from him. "Hanks," He addressed his foster father first, then the rest. "And everybody…what's up?"

"We noticed that you've been restless since breakfast," Hanks began, his expression hardening. "We were wondering if everything's alright,"

"No worries here," Yuri assured to them with a smirk.

Noting his odd posture, Marie gave him a weird look. "What's going on, Yuri?"

Blinking, the swordsman asked what she meant.

Taking the initiative, Hanks cleared his throat and said, "Yuri…" Then peered upwards to face the latter. Squinting his eyes, he searched through his foster son's face for any traces of negativity—anything that reflected on some form of hesitation or distress. But none of it was there—and instead, it was the look that Yuri always wore: solemn yet with a hint of mischievous as evident with the sparks in his ebony eyes. "Are you really gonna do this?"

Catching on to what he meant, Yuri nodded, followed by a bold smirk. "Wish me luck," And winked.

As soon as he saw this, Hanks produced a prideful grin.

Soon, Marie finally understood as well and clapped her hands. "Oh my goodness!" She exclaimed, her face flustered. "I can't wait to see it!"

"What? What?" Ted cried with a pouty look. "Can't anyone tell me?'

Yuri flashed him a devilish smirk. "Let's just say that I'll be stealing your thunder," He hinted with another wink.

Luckily, Ted was still at a loss of what was going on.

Few hours passed and when the time came for Estelle to show up in the Lower Quarter finally arrived, all Yuri could do was widen his grin.

"That's my cue," He said, glancing over his shoulder and waving over to them, "Wish me luck,"

"Go for it, Yuri!" Marie encouraged him, smiling away.

Hanks laughed heartily. "You go get her, boy!"

"I don't know what's going on, but good luck!" Ted joined in.

Accepting their words of encouragement, the swordsman quickly turned to face the canine who looked back at him with a knowing look. Lifting the pipe on his mouth, Repede barked.

"Thanks, Repede," And off he went in the direction to meet up with his partner.

* * *

"Yuri, over here!"

The dark-haired man grinned, approaching his girlfriend standing close to the entrance to the Middle Quarter. As expected, she was surrounded by the children from the orphanage. Once they were in close distance from each other, Yuri cleared his throat, alarming their little audience. "Can I borrow Estelle for a few minutes?"

The kids looked at each other, frowned, and then shook their heads.

Giggling, Estelle crouched to her knees and softly whispered to them. All of a sudden, the children cheered and then hastily ran off into the background.

Confused, Yuri turned back to look at his girlfriend and asked, "What did you tell them?"

Estelle smiled. Bringing her hands behind her back, she answered, "I assured them that if they gave me some time with you, I'll extend my stay here a little longer."

"Good call," He noted, earning him another giggle.

"So, what's the matter?" Estelle started, taking his hand and leading them down to where the center of the small square. "Have you been eating well? Have you been sleeping properly?'

Yuri rolled his eyes. "Yes, mom," He drawled out, which earned him a playful nudge on the shoulder. Even so, he laughed.

"Yuri, please be serious!" Estelle cried childishly, puffing her cheeks, "So are you going back to Dahngrest for more work?"

"No, not for another week," Yuri assured her, gently stroking his thumb over her the surface of her hand. "I just thought that it was a nice day outside—and then thought, who should I spend the whole afternoon with?" Placing a finger under his chin, he mumbled, "There's Hanks and Marie, but they've been busy since this morning. And there's Repede, but he seems to prefer sleep over me. Then there's Ted and the kids…"

Estelle dramatically gasped. "You're telling me that I was your last resort?"

Yuri glanced at her, his eyes slightly widening when he noticed the painful expression on her face. Crap, that was wrong. "No, it's not that, it's just—"

Before he knew it, he saw that Estelle suddenly lit up, going on her tip-toes and poking him on the nose with her finger. "Just kidding~"

The swordsman blinked, and upon realization, laughed. "Wow, you're getting pretty good,"

Registering his words, Estelle casually shrugged her shoulders. "What can I say? I learned from the best," She said simply, smiling away.

Once more, they strolled around the Lower Quarter, holding hands and greeting every passerby they happened to bump into along the way.

Descending further down the stairs, they turned to their right where they found themselves in front of the entrance of the wall. Exchanging smiles, the two of them advanced forward.

Along the way, they encountered a few monsters. Luckily, they weren't powerful and so, after a few hits and blows, they vanished instantly.

Half an hour passed and once they finished off the monsters around the field, the pair managed to climb up on the small summit—a secluded area with a large tree and white flowers sprouting about. But what made the place worth it was the fact that it was one of the few, if not, the only place that displayed a panoramic view of the majesty that was their hometown—the Capital City of Zaphias.

Yuri and first found this special spot when he was returning home after walking out of a promising career as an imperial knight with Repede only being a mere pup. Over the years, whenever Yuri needed to think things through or just needed some alone time to himself, he would come here (often by the presence of Repede).

So far, he managed to share this place to a few exclusive people he held dear to him—the first being Repede, then Hanks and Flynn at the same time—before Flynn left on his pilgrimage, and now Estelle—who at the time, was just a stranger to him and she had somewhat stumbled here…then again, who would've thought that they would visit this place every now and then, this time as a real couple.

Estelle let out a sigh as she plopped herself down on the grass, her eyes scanning over the horizon. "So beautiful…" She said aloud, smiling widely.

Unknown to her, Yuri snuck a glance at her and nodded in reply. He then turned back to face the view before them, unable to catch the quick look that Estelle gave to him in return.

Sitting down and holding hands, the two watched as the afternoon sky began to transition from a clear blue to a reddish-glow. Behind the city, they noticed that the sun was beginning to make its descend—signaling that the day was coming to an end.

Yet, for some reason, neither of them wanted to leave.

"Yuri?'

"Hmm?"

"There's something that I've been meaning to tell you…"

Moving his head to face his girlfriend, Yuri arched his eyebrow. "What's up?"

Judging from the way her shoulders were stiffen and how her eyebrows were furrowed together, he knew that something was bothering her. "Estelle?"

"Remember how yesterday…" She began, peering up to face him. "Ted and the children asked me to marry them on the spot?"

Becoming reminded of this, Yuri chuckled. "Yeah, what about it?"

"I'm not sure if you saw but they were offering pebbles to me for some reason," She went on, releasing her hand from his and enclosing it with her other fist. "When I went back to the castle, I decided to research on it…"

Yuri nodded intently, waiting patiently for her to keep going.

"The pebbles that they gave me…it was inspired by the Penguinists from the Blades of Zopheir," Estelle explained to him, giggling.

The dark-haired man pursed his lips as a memory of a flying bird with a black and white color scheme resurfaced from the back of his mind. Upon realization, he laughed. "You don't say?"

"I'm not sure if the children overlooked this but when a Penguinist gives a pebble to another Penguinist, they are choosing them as their romantic partner. The pebble…is equivalent to that of a human proposal. And once the other party accepts it, both Penguinists are destined to always be together—romantic partners until death."

Yuri smiled. "That sounds cheesy," He commented, but as he delivered those words, began fingering the small pebble he kept inside his pocket. "So, what about it?"

Estelle blushed. "Oh, well…" She trailed off, smiling. "It's just that I'm quite flattered by what they did. Despite their misconceptions of love, I knew that they meant no harm and that they did it simply out of love…"

"Are you trying to say that you're planning on rejecting them?" Yuri wondered aloud, followed by a chuckle. "If you are, don't you think that's a bit harsh?"

Estelle turned to look at him and giggled. "Actually, I was thinking…" She trailed off, looking up to see the first stars twinkling in the dimly lit sky. "Maybe I shouldn't reject them."

Listening to her words, Yuri's eyes widened. "What?"

"Rejection…it's a word that evokes so much pain and sadness," She explained, her eyes softening. She then stood up, her gaze elsewhere. "And so, I thought long and hard for a few days now. It wasn't until the incident that happened with the children yesterday that it finally occurred to me…"

Yuri stood up as well. He tipped his head to the side, still not quite understanding what she meant. "And that would be?"

Catching sight of his confused look, Estelle giggled. "Like I said, I'm not going to reject them. Instead, I'll be presenting them with an alternative—one that would still allow me to see them every day, and also…to be with you,"

Yuri's eyes slowly widened as he watched his girlfriend get on one knee, with her gloved hand gently brushing his own. Lifting her arm, she uncoiled her fist—revealing a pebble.

"Yuri Lowell," She began, **"Will you marry me?"**

The dark-haired man stared wide-eyed at the princess, who gazed back at him with the same loving eyes as she wore on that very same night they decided to make love together, giving away each other's virginity on the night of his twenty-third birthday.

There was a moment of silence—neither spoke nor moved.

Until suddenly, Yuri started cracking up.

Worried, Estelle asked if she did something wrong.

The swordsman waved his hand dismissively. "No, you did nothing wrong," He assured her, followed by another laugh. "It's just that…you always seem to be one step ahead of me," He then bend down on one knee. Removing his hand away from his pocket, he then presented her with his uncoiled fist—to her surprise, he too had a pebble.

"Estellise," He began, his voice becoming soft, **"will _you_ marry me?"**

He watched as the corners of his girlfriend's eyes begin to water. "I…" She stammered, unable to form proper words. Biting on her lower lip, she cried out, "Only if you say yes to mine!" And looked back at him determinedly.

Once again, Yuri was caught off-guard. Recovering quickly, he resorted to teasing her, "Hey, shouldn't the man be the one to propose?"

"Yuri," She began, still smiling, "For the past four years since I've known and been with you, I've started to break every single castle rule and regulation. At least let me break another tradition by allowing me to propose to you!"

"That's not a yes!" He teased her.

Estelle puffed her cheeks. "Yuri, just say it!"

"Nope, not until—"

"YURI!"

Yuri simply laughed, leaning forward to press his forehead against hers and breathing in her natural cherry blossom scent.

This woman would surely be the death of him.

And if this was what their future together was going to be—full of silliness and teasing, love and compassion, empathy and support, and overall—someone to remind you of how human you are and how wonderful the world truly is—then so be it.

Let this naïve, innocent, stubborn, curious, clever, brilliant, compassionate, kindhearted, warm and loving, and dare he'd admit—pretty enticing, badass cleric and white knight who can wield swords/rods and read books to the children—the wonderful woman before him be the one he'd proudly call his bride-to-be, his wife, and possibly, a mother to his children.

"If we can't agree on which one of us would say THAT word," He said finally, "then why don't we use this one instead?"

Estelle frowned. "What do you mean?" And looked down to find his hand reaching outward toward her.

"Here's to the road ahead."

Hearing this, the princess smiled brightly.

Gazing into his ebony eyes, she accepted his hand and shook it.

Unable to contain her giggle, she repeated the same words— **"To the road ahead."**

* * *

 **YAY! YOU DID IT! YOU MADE IT TO THE END OF THE CHAPTER!**

 **WHAT DO YOU THINK? HONESTLY, I'M STILL SMILING AS I'M WRITING THIS NOTE TO YOU ALL BECAUSE THIS ENTIRE CHAPTER WAS COMPLETELY NOT PLANNED AT ALL!**

 **AND ALSO, IF ANY OF YOU ARE WONDERING, THE PLACE THAT YURI AND ESTELLE WENT OFF TO-THAT SECRET PLACE THAT THEY WENT TOGETHER WITH THEIR PROPOSAL-THAT'S THE MAIN MENU OF THE GAME! (the one with Yuri and Repede looking out into the distance with the beautiful view of Zaphias at night)**

 **ALSO, I MENTIONED THAT I WAS GOING TO BE USING A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE-THAT WAS A BIT OF IODER, TED AND THE KIDS, AND MOSTLY YURI*** (I miss writing Ioder-and if you like the way I characterized him, I recommend checkmate and SoSN! He's fleshed out there!)**

 **NOW THAT YUSTELLE ARE FINALLY ENGAGED-WE WILL BE HAVING TWO MORE CHAPTERS LEFT! AND ALSO, THE NEXT UPDATE TO THE NEXT CHAPTERS WOULD BE DURING THE WEEKENDS ONCE MORE!**

 **THAT'S ALL FOR NOW!**

 **ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND COMMENTS!**

 **IF YOU CAN, PLEASE COMMENT BELOW AND LET ME KNOW OF YOUR THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS REGARDING THIS BEAUTIFUL CHAPTER!**

 **SEE YOU SOON!**

 **RECOMMENDED SONG: SAM YUNG (I SEE THE LIGHT PIANO ARRANGEMENT)**


	8. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

**Sorry for the long wait, but I just want to say thank you for being so patient with me.**  
 **It took a lot of tears for me to wipe away as I wrote this..and the more you read it, you'll begin to understand why**

 **Unfortunately, I won't be explaining the title of the chapter (and would provide an explanation to it below the ending notes)**

 **All I can say, enjoy the chapter and feel free to weep with me!**

* * *

It was official—Yuri and Estelle were engaged.

And the response?

For starters, the majority of the Lower Quarter rejoiced as soon as they were informed. While the women and elderly immediately congratulated them, some of the men who previously courted the princess forced themselves to swallow their pride, approach them and wished them well with their future.

And then there was Ted and the children who took a while to let the information sink in. Unsurprisingly, Estelle came to the rescue, assuring them that if she's going to be married to Yuri, that would imply that she'll be able to stay in the Lower Quarter for as long as she wants to.

"R-really?" Ted spoke up with big, hopeful eyes.

When they gained a nod from the pink-haired woman, the green-haired boy beamed. He quickly turned to the other little boys and girls who also shared the same satisfied expression as he did. They averted their gaze over to the swordsman, who seemed to be silently watching their interaction with his fiancée.

"Big brother Yuri!" Ted cried, startling the latter.

Before he could even blink, Yuri found himself getting tackled to the ground by a mob of children. "Woah, hey!" He exclaimed, laughing in-between. "What's gotten into you guys?'

"Thank you, big brother Yuri!" He heard one of the girls chirped from behind. "For marrying Miss Estelle!"

"Yeah, yeah!" Another one agreed wholeheartedly. "Now, she's one of us!"

Listening to their praises, all Yuri could do laugh. "Actually, I was gonna be selfish and keep her all to myself," He proclaimed, causing some of the children to dramatically gasp and others to shoot glares at him.

Unfazed by this, he cracked a smile.

Crossing his arms, he snuck a glance at his fiancée who seemed to be trying her best containing her giggle. He veered his attention back to the swarm of children around him and noticed that they were dead serious to hear his response. "But you know what?" He began, bringing his hand forward and planting it on one of the little girl's heads, "I'll see what I can do,"

Once more, the children cried ecstatically with some of them removing themselves off of the swordsman to approach the princess standing nearby.

With one of them seizing hold of her hands, they escorted her over to the dark-haired man and pushed her forward. Luckily, Yuri was there to catch her and when they locked eyes with each other, they smiled and chuckled in unison.

Next came Brave Vesperia.

During one of their visits in Dahngrest, the pair announced their engagement to their found family. Unlike the Lower Quarter and the children, they were greeted with a mix of responses.

"Yeah, we won!" Karol cried, jumping out of his chair to high-five the female lancer and little pirate girl.

Meanwhile, Raven and Rita turned their heads to look elsewhere.

Yuri blinked, unable to grasp the meaning of his words. And when he did, he set his hand on his hip and narrowed his eyes. "Wait, don't tell me you've been betting on us this whole time?"

To his dismay, every single one of them, excluding Repede, nodded their heads.

Estelle blushed. "…How long have you guys been doing this?"

"About a year now," Judith answered, smiling pleasantly. "Oh but don't you worry, we'll be sure to distribute the Gald that Raven and Rita are gonna give to us any moment now,"

At the mention of her best friend, Estelle quickly glanced over to the short brunette who buried her face deeper into her book. "Rita!"

Growing restless, Rita slammed her book against the table and directed her finger at the bewildered swordsman. "Well, how was I supposed to know that that idiot would have the guts to finally propose, huh?" She cried, completely tomato red.

Both Yuri and Estelle looked at each other and exchanged smiles.

Catching this, Rita frowned. "W-what?"

"Actually…" Yuri began, raking his long mane as he turned the other way. "Estelle's the one who proposed,"

All eyes focused in on the princess who inwardly blushed. "Come on, don't give me all the credit with this," She urged her fiancé as she forced a smile. "You did the same thing afterward,"

Processing this new information, their friends looked at each other before bursting into fits of laughter.

"Okay, Raven! Pay up!" Patty cried merrily, "That's double the Gald!"

The ponytailed man groaned. "Why you gotta do this ta me?" He wailed, followed by the shake of his head.

While Karol and Patty playfully teased him, Judith and Rita seized the moment to approach the pair.

Pausing in her tracks, Judith tilted her head and said in a soft tone, "Congratulations," And shifted her eyes from the swordsman to the princess as she added, "I've been rooting for you for a while now. So seeing the two of you finally committed, I'm quite pleased,"

Estelle beamed. "Thank you, Judith,"

Yuri nodded in agreement. "Yeah, thanks, Judy,"

The pair turned their attention on the short mage who continuously tapped her left foot impatiently against the floorboards. "…C-congrats," She muttered, loud enough for the others around her to hear. "I-I wish you both the best in the future," Taking in a deep breath, she suddenly reverted her fixation on the dark-haired man and cried, "And you! You better treat my best friend well or you're gonna be sorry!"

Yuri smirked. "I know," He began, taking hold of his fiancée's hand and squeezed in tightly. He turned to face the princess and grinned widely. "I'll be sure to satisfy her ladyship emotionally and…" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Sexually,"

Estelle blushed furiously. "Y-Yuri!" And lightly hit him on the shoulder.

The swordsman laughed harder, welcoming her into his arms and placing his chin on top of her head.

As they watched the pair's interaction, Judith and Rita snuck glances at each other. Judith chuckled lightly as Rita quickly looked the other way, the tips of her ears burning a little red prior to witnessing such an intimate moment between her friends.

Despite her protests, Rita knew, deep down, that her best friend was in good hands and that as much as she hated to admit it, she knew that Yuri was a suitable candidate for the princess.

And that alone was enough to put her at ease.

Lastly, there was the Council and the Imperial Knights.

As expected, the members were opposed to their engagement.

Even so, their main concern was on Ioder and Flynn.

While the prince showered his dear cousin with praises of approval and a loving embrace, Yuri was confronted with a menacing-looking Commandant who was ready to whip out his sword and slash him at any moment.

Fortunately, Ioder happened to be there and urged Flynn to follow his example.

Yuri stood there, trying hard not to laugh his head off as he watched his childhood friend congratulate him with a forceful grin plastered on his face.

"Now that you two are to be wed," Ioder began, getting excited, "Let me be the one to fund the entire wedding,"

"Your Highness!" Flynn exclaimed, only to close his mouth when he noticed that the latter was giving him a side-glance. Collecting himself, he straightened his posture and apologized for his interruption.

Shaking his head, Ioder turned his attention to the pair and continued, "Like I said before, I'll be more than happy to assist you with all the planning—the catering, the reservations and guests, the decorations…" Suddenly, his emerald green eyes twinkled. "Oh! I must get started with the commission!"

Estelle blinked. "Commission?"

Ioder bobbed his head excitedly. "You are going to love it!" He expressed, smiling away. "But I'm getting ahead of myself. Take your time and let me know when the two of you are ready, okay?"

"Thanks," Yuri began, chuckling a little. "And Flynn?"

Hearing his name, the knight peered upwards. "Yes?"

"Meet me at Marie's inn around nightfall," He explained, crossing his arms and offering him a smile. "There's something we need to discuss,"

* * *

Later that night, Flynn ventured to the Lower Quarter.

Greeted by the folks left and right, he maneuvered his way over to the public inn near the banks of the river. Entering inside, his face lit up upon recognizing familiar faces—with Marie and Ted tugging him over to a table located on the right where his foster father and brother were currently seated.

"My, boy you came!" Hanks called out, pulling out a stool from underneath the table and waving him over. "Come, come! Sit!"

Flynn smiled, nodding along as he did what he was told.

Once he settled himself down on his seat, he looked up to face the dark-haired man who seemed preoccupied with filling each tiny glass shots with the alcoholic drink gripped on his dominant left hand.

Putting the beverage down, Yuri looked up and grinned.

"Took you long enough," He teased as he handed each tiny shot toward the knight, then to the bearded man.

Flynn rolled his eyes. "Just tell us why we're here,"

Yuri nodded. "Well, how should I put this?" Ruminating through his thoughts, he finally settled with a conclusion. "I wanted to ask you both a request."

Hanks arched an eyebrow. "…Request? What for?"

The dark-haired man creased his eyebrows, opening his mouth to say something, only to stop himself and turned the other way to gaze through the window.

Growing worried, Flynn spoke up. "Yuri?"

Clearing his throat, Yuri began with "Ever since that night, when Estelle and I proposed to each other…we've been talking about the wedding details," Recalling the long talk they had in his room following that certain night, he mustered a tiny smile. "We were wondering…if it's alright with either of you…"

Heaving a deep breath, he finally faced the two men before him and delivered his next set of words with confidence.

First, he laid eyes on the blonde knight. "Flynn, will you attend the ceremony as our best man?" And then to his foster father with a softened expression. "And Hanks as my father?"

Both Flynn and Hanks widened their eyes.

"…Yuri," Hanks croaked, all the while too startled to say anything further. "I-I don't know what to…"

"Is this what you wanted to talk about?" Flynn wondered aloud, trying to process the new information.

The swordsman looked up and offered them a wide grin.

Taking notice of this, the blonde knight and the bearded man turned to glance at each other. Slowly, their lips curved upwards before reverting back to face the dark-haired man again.

"On my honor as a knight," Flynn began, thrusting his arm over his armored chest and beaming, "And as a brother and a friend—I, Flynn Scifo, will gladly take up the mantle as your best man."

Hearing his declaration, Yuri rolled his eyes. Even so, he couldn't contain the wide grin across his lips. "Alright," He replied, standing upright to give the knight a fist pump. Flynn leaned in to return the gesture. After that, Yuri fixed his gaze at his foster father, patiently waiting for his turn. "So, Hanks? Whaddaya say?"

When the bearded man locked eyes with the latter, he couldn't help but muster a prideful smile. "You've certainly grown up…" He muttered lowly under his breath.

Lifting his chin, he faced his foster son and laughed heartily. "Sign me up!"

* * *

Once the word of their engagement was spread to their family, friends, and close associates—Yuri and Estelle gave Ioder the approval to begin with the wedding preparations.

Fortunately, Yuri was dismissed to take any part of it (which was a huge relief for Flynn and some of the coordinators), which meant that Estelle was required to remain in the Palace and take charge of everything with Ioder and Rita often there to aid her.

The first things that came to mind were the invitations and reservations of their guests—and with that in mind, Estelle immediately thought of the warm hospitality that was provided to her by the Lower Quarter and then, to Brave Vesperia, her found family.

After that, there were representatives of the guilds like President Kaufman from Fortune's Market and other friends she met in the duration of their journey like Karen and Rich from the King of Adventure and Teagle and his family.

Four weeks in and everything was going well.

And then—something happened.

It became during Estelle's spare time, which involved her and the female members of Brave Vesperia having a tea party in the castle gardens. Conversing each other animatedly, munching on lemon madeleines and sipping on their respective teacups, the four friends were having a delightful time away from work…when all of a sudden, Estelle hastily stood up from her chair and raced back inside.

Worried, the others chased her, yelling for her name through the halls in search for her.

A few minutes later and they found her—sitting next to the toilet and throwing up, along with one or two castle maids surrounding her and stroking her for support.

Clenching her teeth, the short mage entered the bathroom and instructed the maids to fetch the doctor. "Patty, go with them!" She cried over her shoulder as she proceeded to squat down and started rubbing her best friend's back in assurance. "Judith and I will take care of Estelle!"

The little pirate girl nodded, cried an almighty, "Aye!" and hurried off with the two maids behind her.

Now that that was out of the way, Rita and the female lancer were left with the poor princess.

"Estelle, we're here," Judith assured the pink-haired woman with a pat on her head, "If you need anything, we got you,"

Estelle meekly nodded, mumbled a soft "thank you" to them both before proceeding to vomit once more.

Another few minutes later and the doctor finally arrived back with their friend. Carefully, Judith and Rita took each of Estelle's arms over their necks and leisurely brought her back to her room which happened to be just around the corner.

Laying her down across the large mattress, the two allowed the female doctor to get straight to work as they left to wait outside, hoping for good news to come out of it. A long excruciating hour passed until finally, the doctor opened the door and happily invited them back inside.

"Is she gonna be okay?" Rita was the first to voice out her concern as she sat down next to her best friend who happened to have awakened and was sitting upright. On her opposite side, Judith plopped down while Patty made herself comfortable in front of the princess as she joined their hands together into a firm grip.

"Yes, Her Highness is going to be fine," The doctor insisted, causing the trio to finally exhale the breath that they've been holding inside.

"That's a relief," Judith was the next to speak out as she turned back to look at the princess and lean the side of her head against hers.

The doctor smiled as she continued with her report. "Rest assured, there was no food poisoning either," As she said that, she snuck a glance over to the little pirate girl who stared back at her with an equally relieved expression. "Yes, Her Highness is just experiencing a mild case of mild sickness and fatigue—all common side effects of pregnancy."

All four friends froze in place the second they heard the end of the sentence.

Judith and Rita turned to look at each other, then at Patty, and then finally their pink-haired friend. With eyes widened and big smiles appearing on their faces, they quickly looked back at the doctor for confirmation.

Swallowing thickly, Estelle finally spoke up, "A-are you saying that I'm…" Before she could finish her sentence, she lowered her head to look at her stomach and lightly grazed a hand over its surface.

Again, the doctor nodded in confirmation. "Congratulations, Your Highness!" She exclaimed with a surprisingly high-pitched voice, **"You're going to be a mother!"**

* * *

It took about a week and a half for the four friends to keep the big news a secret to themselves and made an agreement to announce it to everyone once the father-to-be returned from his duties. While patiently waiting for the arrival of a certain swordsman and the other members of their guild—Rita, Judith, and Patty surrounded the princess with tons of questions.

As it turned out, Estelle was barely about a month into her pregnancy as it was later confirmed by her that shortly after the night of the proposal, she and Yuri immediately consummated or in Judith's teasing words, 'went down to business'.

In addition, it was also in her best interest to remain clueless about the gender of the baby—claiming that she'd rather be surprised prior to the date of the delivery. But overall, Estelle expressed her joy of how her dream was coming true—getting married and having a child together with the one she dearly loved.

Overwhelmed with feelings of excitement and happiness, her trio of friends quickly insisted that they'll always be there for her and that they would support her during her pregnancy as well as help her take care of the baby.

Touched by their words, Estelle happily obliged.

Another day passed and finally, one of the royal guards knocked on the princess's door to inform her that Yuri was spotted inside the Palace. Hearing this, Patty volunteered to escort them to the room, giving Rita and Judith more time to talk their plan over with Estelle.

Minutes later and the door swung open. Estelle smiled as she took in the appearances of her fiancé, Raven, Karol, Repede, and even Ioder and Flynn who were included in the mix.

Upon sighting the pink-haired woman, Yuri quickly rushed over. "Estelle, I came as soon as I heard," He began, his hands somewhat fidgeting as he squatted to his knees and gently took hold of her hands, enclosing it with his. "Everything okay?"

Estelle nodded, squeezing their hands together in an assurance matter. "Yes, I'm fine," She replied, leaning forward to peck him on the forehead and added in, "Sorry for making you all worried,"

Yuri sighed, raking his other hand through his long, dark mane. "That's good," And chuckled lightly.

Estelle watched as the other males gathered around them in a half circle, with Rita and Judith sitting next to her and stroking her back for support.

"I have an announcement to make," She began, veering her eyes upwards to take a look at each and every single individual which made up her family before eventually landing on her fiancé in front of her. Taking his other hand, Estelle gently pulled it forward and let it rest on top of her stomach. Smiling, she snuck a peek at the latter whose eyes were slowly widening upon realization.

Seconds later, sounds of gasps and cries filled the entire room.

"E-Estelle…" Yuri began, unable to say proper words as he looked up to face her with a baffled expression. "You're…"

Unable to contain her excitement, she happily nodded. "We're gonna have a baby," She finally said, which earned her a large round of applause among her friends and family.

Processing her words, Yuri remained still.

Catching sight of this, Estelle grew worried as she brushed her hand across his right cheek. "Yuri?"

And then, out of the blue, she was pulled into a tight embrace. It wasn't until she realized that it was Yuri who was the one who initiated it and with tears brimming in the corners of her eyes, gladly enveloped her arms around his neck and drew him closer.

She heard her fiancé's muffled words and smiled, tightening her hold around him. "Yes," She agreed, tears flowing down her rosy cheeks. "We're finally going to have a family."

Their friends smiled as they watched the pair remained in each other's arms, with no words spoken between them. And when it did, Yuri was the first to break the silence as he quickly took his fiancée into his arms and began to twirl her around and around, their sounds of laughter contagious and overpowered with love and joy.

* * *

It was about a month since Yuri and Estelle's engagement were made public to everyone, and following that, the report of the princess's pregnancy shocked the entire capital of Zaphias.

Hanks, who later found out with the help of Marie and Ted, was swept with emotions. No words could properly describe his current state of happiness and to his surprise, it was later that afternoon that a certain couple came over to visit his residence to officially deliver the news to him.

Indeed, it was a momentous occasion—one that Hanks and the rest of the Lower Quarter would never forget. Here was a member of their community, who had not only found his purpose in life but was already making strides to his future, beginning with his engagement to the princess and having a baby together with her.

A party was commenced in response to the grand news with the majority of the attention focused in on the couple and their unborn baby in the making. Ted and the children persisted that they would be eager to let the new addition of the community to be a part of their group, to which Estelle happily took the offer. As for Marie, she was more than willing to let Yuri's room remain vacant and unavailable for the other guests in case the two were to drop by and visit every now and then.

With everything settled in, there came the news of Ioder. Due to the announcement of their pregnancy, he recommended that it was best that they'd halt the wedding preparations for now and focus their every attention on the princess and her condition. That being said, he took the liberty to unveil his wedding present ahead of time—as mentioned before, secretly calling it as a commission.

Thanks to the mayor of Halure, the prince managed to find the perfect spot for the couple to settle down, and through the assistance of Raven and Flynn, managed to successfully hire a guild specialized in construction work and commissioned for a two-story house to be built in the location closest to the large tree itself.

Upon visiting their new house, Yuri and Estelle were surprised to find out that the building itself somewhat resembled the mayor's which was found right in front of the entrance of the town.

"Consider it a gift for not only saving the world," Ioder began, shifting his eyes from his dear cousin to the swordsman he would proudly welcome to their small family. "But for also simply being there for Estellise and for being her main strength and source of happiness." As he said that, he bowed his head respectfully. "Thank you, Yuri Lowell."

Shortly afterward, Yuri and Estelle began to pack their belongings and transfer them to their new residential home. They even insisted Hanks, Marie, and Ted visit them every now and then. "We'll let Judy pick you guys up with Ba'ul," Yuri explained, crossing his arms over his chest, "And if you'd like, maybe stay for the night. We got about three spare rooms so…"

Hanks emitted a half-grin. "That'll be wonderful," He thanked them sincerely, "Though I'll have to check my schedule and see when would be the appropriate time to do that,"

Estelle stepped forth. "Take all the time you need," She insisted, smiling sweetly, "Our door will always be open for you,"

* * *

About twenty-four years ago, Yuri came into this world.

Who would've thought that along the way, he would eventually grow up and lead a happy life, comprised of many firsts and never-ending adventures together with his found family and friends. And Hanks couldn't help but thank the heavens for giving his foster son the opportunity to step out of his comfort zone and explore beyond Zaphias—because if he hadn't, then he wouldn't be where he was now.

A proud member of a world-renowned guild, which just so happened to be named after the brightest star in the night sky, a former vigilante and one of the heroes who saved their beloved Terca Lumireis from the prophesied Adephagos, to becoming committed in an enduring relationship with a woman who loved every fiber of his being, a husband-to-be and now, about seven months in, about to be a father of a newborn.

Hanks recounted the time when he took up the responsibility of becoming the dark-haired man's foster father and the many struggles that he had to face that came with it. And with the knowledge, he thought that he'd be best to share them with the latter.

And so, here they were, sitting outside the front steps of the stairs of the house in Halure, sitting idly and observing Ted, the children and a few recognizable faces—Karol and Patty playing a game of tag in front of him. Motioning his head to the right, he found the short mage and the female lancer engaged in a private discussion with Marie and Estelle, who was already showing signs of a large bump (though was perfectly concealed thanks to the maternity clothes she recently bought).

Satisfied with the view, Hanks fixed his attention over to the blue dog sitting next to him. He reached out to scratch Repede's furry back who responded with a low wail and his tail whipping from side to side.

"Care for a drink, old man?"

Hearing this, the bearded man peered over his shoulder. He smiled brightly as soon as he recognized his foster son presenting him with a cup of herbal tea, his personal favorite. Mouthing a soft, "thank you", he graciously accepted it and brought it down on his lap. From the corner of his eye, he took notice of the dark-haired man settling himself on a seat right next to him.

The sounds of crickets chirping in the background and the gentle breeze coming in with the company of cherry blossoms caused Hanks to lean back and sigh heavily, welcoming the solace and comfort that nature offered for them.

"In a few more weeks, yer gonna be a father," He began, turning his head to look at his foster son.

Yuri nodded with a grin. "Seems about right," He mumbled, bringing the edge of the cup and sipping the liquid. "It's already been seven months and even now, I'm still dumbstruck,"

Hanks laughed earnestly. "Really, now?" When he caught his foster son's tired expression, he shook his head and said, "That's the same feeling that I had when you were born,"

On the topic of his birth, Yuri took this as a sign to bring up a certain issue. "Say, Hanks?"

"Yeah?"

"I've been meaning to ask…" Yuri began, lowering his gaze at the cup he held with one hand. "About my mother…"

Unfazed by his words, Hanks nodded along. "I see…" He trailed off, ruminating through his thoughts.

"Is it true?" Yuri pressed on, finally raising his chin to look at his foster father in the eye. "That she died because of childbirth?"

Hanks sighed deeply. "So, you've figured it out, huh?"

"Marie mentioned it to me once when I was about eleven," The dark-haired man answered, casually shrugging his shoulders. "It wasn't much but when she told me, I managed put the pieces together and…"

"So, then you knew?" Hanks interrupted, becoming alarmed and shooting him a glare. "You knew for so long and you didn't tell me?"

Yuri furrowed his eyebrows. "I thought that it'd be best to keep the information all to myself," He explained, his eyes downcast. "But at the same time, I refused to accept it as truth. So, I told myself, that I'd wait until the time came…for maybe you to break the news to me."

Hanks softened his eyes. "Well, if you wanna know," He began, looking up to the sky. "Here's the truth—yes, your mother did die during the process of childbirth…she lost too much blood and her oxygen levels were significantly low." He didn't need to sneak a glance at the latter as his ears picked up the sudden noise of a fist against wood.

"Because we didn't have enough Gald to pay for a doctor, we did our best to keep her stable and healthy…it was a difficult delivery for her. And because of it, she paid the price." He mustered a tiny smile as he continued in a soft, calming tone. "But you know, Lilian knew…that even though she wasn't gonna make it, the minute she saw you, she had already seen the future that you were going to pursue."

He removed his glasses to quickly wipe the tears that were beginning to flow from his eyes. Once he reclaimed them, he finally turned to face his foster son. As expected, Yuri's expression was mixed with anguish and frustration—but the sight of his red, swollen eyes was more than enough to break an old man's heart in half. Once again, Hanks was witnessing the poor man in his vulnerability, a side that not every person except to those close to him have managed to come across.

And as always, Yuri was in conflict with himself.

Hoping to ease the tension, Hanks reached out to place a hand on the other's shoulder. "And you know, she was right. And now, look at you—you've come a long way since then," He pressed on with a tender look. "Lilian and my beloved Jiri…they would be so proud of you." A pause. "I, too am proud of you and what you've become."

Yuri moved his head to face the bearded man and forced a chuckle. "That's reassuring," He commented, grinning.

Hanks nodded, squeezing his hold on Yuri's shoulder and continuing, "And now, you're gonna begin another journey—one that I happened to have a lot of experiences with," Removing his hand from the latter, he frowned. "It's not an easy task being a father. And to be a good one, that's something even I can't put off,"

Yuri stared at the bearded man as if he produced two heads.

"What are you talking about?" He argued, "I turned out pretty okay,"

Hanks chuckled. "That, you did," He agreed, "But back then…I kept doubting myself. Worried that I would screw you up or something. Jiri would have to frequently remind me that parenting was a two-person job and that she wouldn't want me to take all the responsibilities on my own,"

He heaved a sigh as a memory from long ago resurfaced from the back of his mind—of his beloved wife consulting him in their bedroom, during one of the times when Yuri was fast-asleep in his crib. And then the wonderful memories of him and his wife immediately struck a chord in him. As a surge of negativity swept over him, Hanks quickly downed his drink in a few big gulps.

Placing his now empty cup on the open space in-between them, he forced himself to continue. "And when she passed away, I didn't know what to do. I couldn't bring myself to do anything. And so, I hoped and prayed that everything was going to be alright for you and Flynn," A light chuckle escaped his throat as he jerked his chin to the open front yard. "Being a father was the hardest thing I ever had to do…but I did what I could and now, look at me. A happy old man just waiting to see the face of his grandchild before passing,"

Catching on to his words, Yuri called him out for saying such a thing.

"It's gonna happen," Hanks said firmly, "It's the cycle of life, after all. We are born, search the world to find a place to call our own, settle down and have a family, then experience the hardships that comes with the job of a parent…and before we know it, the little ones will grow up so quickly, seek out their own future and repeat the very same thing that you originally sought after…"

As for the next set of words, he closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath. "And then you'll be an old man, just like me…appreciating everything and what life has to offer to ya, being thankful for the things that you were given and looking back to the things that you regret, knowing that you can never go back and change it…you eventually learn how short life is, and how you should do whatever you can in your power to live vigorously until it's time for you to depart and continue to the next stage of life…"

"It's sad, I know, but it is the way of life…" Hanks pressed further, "And in my life, I've had many things I've regret, people that I wish to reconnect with but at the same time—was blessed with so many fortunes: two sons, a wife, a community, and now, a daughter-in-law and a grandchild about to be born at any moment…"

Yuri creased his eyebrows as he listened intently. "Hanks…"

"Sorry," Hanks apologized, chuckling. "Must've gotten a bit sidetracked,"

Yuri shook his head and grinned. "No," He affirmed, "I'm just glad to hear that I'm not the only one with doubts and concerns. You are right, though—we do have one life in this world. And I can't speak for anyone else but,"

Standing up, he focused his concentration toward the clear blue sky and continued, "It doesn't seem to me like there's any reason why we get dumped into this world. But once you're here, you just do what you can to give this life everything you've got."

Hearing this, Hanks smiled. Rising from his seat, he turned to glance at his foster son and said, "Took the words right outta my mouth,"

Together, father and son exchanged similar-looking smirks before erupting into fits of laughter.

Once the laughter ceased, Hanks offered him the brightest of smiles. "If yer having trouble with the first few stages of fatherhood, you'll always have me as your support,"

"Thanks," Yuri replied back, "I'm gonna need it,"

Hanks laughed boisterously. "You sure will, boy,"

* * *

In the first few weeks of March—Estelle's water broke.

…And it just so happened that they were finishing up an assignment from a client in a secluded town. With the members of Brave Vesperia at present, they immediately split into groups—with the girls rushing to bring the princess inside the cabin and nurse her in her critical state while the boys were out to fetch any items or clothes they could find and give it to the latter.

And because they were currently on a boat, soaring through the skies—the absence of a doctor brought nothing but distress and frustration within the group.

A few hours later and Estelle's condition worsened.

In a desperate motion, Karol ran outside to ask Patty to land anywhere she saw fit. To his disappointment, she informed him that they were still in the middle of the ocean (around the area of the Shrine of Aude) and even if they did happen to land somewhere close like Nordopolica, it wouldn't have changed anything as the day had transitioned to dusk—meaning that it was already too late as the doctors and other shopkeepers have already left for the day.

"Breathe, Estelle!" Rita urged her best friend as she continued to dap the wet cloth over her forehead, "You got this! We believe in you!"

"We're here with you," Judith joined in, trying hard to sound and remain as calm as she appeared to be, "You're not alone!"

"Look at me, Estelle," Yuri came in as he held tight of the princess's sweaty hand. "Ignore the pain and just focus on me, alright?"

Estelle meekly bobbed her head, about to say something when she felt another wave of unbearable pain pierce through her chest and screamed at the top of her lungs. At the same time, she tightened her hold on Yuri and Rita's hands who were there to provide her with unconditional support.

Gritting their teeth, Yuri and Rita endured the pain and carried on by showering her with words of encouragements, pecks on the forehead, and laying out the blanket over her quivering form in an effort to keep her stable and still.

With Judith taking the role as the midwife, she proceeded to lay out the available blankets underneath the pink-haired woman's legs. Once that was good to go, she went on to spread the latter's legs and narrowed her eyes. "Okay, I'm going to start asking you to push," She began, earning their attention. "I could see something coming out! So, when I say push, you do it, okay?"

Again, Estelle nodded. "O-Okay…"

And for the next twenty minutes or so, they did exactly just that. During the process of the delivery, Estelle had lost a majority of her energy and as a result, was unwilling to push any further, which would potentially endanger her and the baby's life.

With little to no options left, the group was beginning to worry for their friend and to their surprise—four ethereal spirits were summoned to save the day.

"We heard her call and here we are," Undine declared, "We will do what we can to stabilize her formula for a safe delivery,"

Right away, the aquatic humanoid-looking spirit glided over to Estelle and brought her hands down on each side of her head. Whispering a few words, she allowed a stream of water to encircle around them. Slyph and Gnome followed next as they conjured spells of their own—producing tiny rocks for stabilization and gales of wind to change the temperature of the cabin to a certain degree.

Lastly, there was Efreet who proceeded to create a tiny swirling fire and allowed it to spawn throughout the area as the hanging lamp above them was beginning to lose its glow.

Thanks to their efforts, Estelle managed to regain her strength and with a few more pushes, a high-pitched wail erupted, causing every single person inside and outside the cabin to freeze in place.

Yuri watched as the female lancer gently cradled a small, squishy looking baby coated with blood and other bodily fluids. He didn't realize that he'd been staring at the sight for too long until Rita had to smack some senses out of him.

"What are you waiting for?" Rita cried, her voice cracking, "Go to her!"

Alarmed, Yuri asked, "W-who?"

"Your daughter!" She persisted with tears in her eyes.

Nodding, Yuri moved forward, gently removing his hold on his fiancée to head over to Judith. "Here," She said, presenting him with a scissors and urging him to cut the umbilical cord that was connected to the baby's belly button. When he continued to stare at her with a dumbfounded look, Judith gave him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, she won't feel it,"

Yuri heaved a deep breath, mustered a low, "Alright," and then seized hold of the scissors. Leaning in, he took a quick look at the newborn's crying face and smiled earnestly. "This won't hurt, okay?" And then proceeded to cut the cord in half.

Once the procedure was done, Judith stood up from the ground and with the baby in her arms, went off to the other corner of the cabin to begin the wash. "Rita, come over here!" She cried over her shoulder.

Rita nodded, "Coming!" And shortly after pecking her best friend on the temple and muttering a few more words of encouragement into her ear, she ran off to help the female lancer.

A moment of silence ensued.

Something took hold of Yuri's left hand, startling him.

Moving his head, he was met with the most breathtaking view of Estelle—despite how utterly drenched she was with sweat, how rosy her cheeks were, her doe-shaped seafoam eyes and fair skin were glistening like stars, reminding him of the very first time he saw her in her naked form and how he knew at that very moment, how much he wanted to be with her.

"…Estelle," He managed to say, followed by a triumphant smirk. "You did it…"

Albeit dazed and with half-closed eyes, Estelle heard his words and produced a smile. "No, we did it…" She said, squeezing his hand in assurance.

Yuri shook his head. "No, I didn't,"

To his surprise, Estelle shot him a sympathetic look. "Yes, you did," She insisted, bringing her other hand to brush his slightly reddened cheek. "You were here to support me, and I'm forever grateful for that,"

Again, Yuri shook his head. "Come on, this was all you! All I did was sit here and did nothing," He pressed on, leaning in to softly kiss her on the lips and wiping away the strands of hair on her temple. "Man, she's gonna be so thrilled to have a badass mom like you,"

Upon hearing this, Estelle blinked. "Wait…" She trailed off, "I-It's a girl?" When she saw that the swordsman was smiling and enthusiastically nodding in response, she brought a hand over her mouth, closed her eyes and inhaled a deep breath. "A girl…oh my goodness, a girl!"

Yuri chuckled. "It's a girl," He repeated, once more, leaned in to capture her lips to which Estelle happily reciprocated. Once they withdrew, they turned to face the four spirits looming over them.

"Thank you," Estelle thanked graciously, bowing her head respectfully.

Undine mimicked her gesture while Gnome let out a contented cry. Behind them were Slyph and Efreet who seemed to be preoccupied at observing the two female friends currently bathing the newborn.

"She's so squishy looking…" Efreet commented, sounding displeased.

"Doesn't she?" Slyph agreed along.

Undine chuckled. "I'm afraid they are too enamored with your child to return the gesture," She apologized, "Forgive them for their immaturity."

Yuri shook his head. "It's fine," He assured her, grinning from ear to ear. "I mean, we did produce a nice-looking baby," And then snuck a glance over to his partner who couldn't help but giggle at his comment.

Few minutes later, Judith returned to their side while Rita rushed out the door to urge their friends to come over.

Raven and Karol were the first to come in, followed shortly by Patty and Repede. As soon as they entered the scene, all three of them stopped midway in their tracks as they took in the appearance of Estelle resting comfortably and holding onto her newborn baby.

"Oh my god! It's here!" Karol cried with glee as he hurried over to take a good look at the babe.

"What a specimen!" Patty agreed, joining the boy who was seated rather closely next to Rita and Judith.

Meanwhile, Raven silently walked over and sat next to the two youngsters while Repede made his way over to his owner, their eyes fixed in on the bundle of joy present before them.

"What a beautiful little babe ya got here…" He commented as he proceeded to reach out and tickle the baby. "Coochie coochie coo~"

What followed after was an eruption of joyful laughter. All eyes focused in on the ponytailed man who was at a loss for words.

Yuri and Estelle snuck glances at each other and smiled.

"Woah, Raven! Look!" Karol pointed out, directing his finger at the newborn. "You made it laugh!" Suddenly, he was hit on the head. "Ouch! Hey!" Recovering quickly, he turned to glare at the short brunette next to him. "Rita!"

"Stop calling the baby 'it'!" She protested, suddenly getting defensive. "Can't you see that it's a girl?"

Patty blinked. "…A lass?"

Estelle nodded. "That's right," She began, her face lighting up like the sun. "And she's lucky to have everyone here as part of her family,"

Upon hearing this, Karol started choking up. "I'm an Uncle…" He croaked, tears welling up in his eyes. "I'm an Uncle!"

"Hey, I'm an Uncle too, ya know?" Raven argued, though failed to conceal his cracking voice.

"And we're Aunts," Judith piped in, sneaking glances at Rita and Patty who looked back at her with bright red cheeks and satisfying grins.

"Guess that also means Repede is an Uncle too," Yuri began, glancing over at the blue canine who barked in response before resorting to pointing a finger at himself. "And I'm the dad,"

Estelle smiled, "And I'm the mom," She concluded, sighing. "Which means that this little one is going to be a new addition to our family,"

Yuri heaved a sigh. "With one more mouth to feed, guess we're gonna have to start tackling more work," He grumbled, veering his eyes over to the young boy, "Ain't that right, Capital Karol?"

Upon realization, the boy released a low groan. "Aww, man…you're right,"

Estelle giggled, and soon after, Yuri and the rest of the members of the guild—including the four spirits still present, joined in for the laugh.

* * *

March 18th—was the day that Yuri, Estelle, and their found family, Brave Vesperia would never forget; the day when a new addition to their little group had finally arrived. What a coincidence that the date itself just so happened to be the same one when Yuri and Estelle began their journey together.

Under the starry night and the blessing of the legendary Brave Vesperia—Yuri and Estelle bestowed their beautiful little daughter a name: Genevieve Lowell.

Eve, for short.

Named after the same guild that provided a home to them, the beginning of a new phase in their lives as newly-appointed parents as well as the collaboration of humans and spirits working effortlessly to bring new life into this world—the little girl became the embodiment of new changes.

* * *

 **...And that's the end of the eighth chapter!**

 **AHH, STILL TEARS IN MY EYES. But yeah, I planned this from the start-their daughter, Genevieve (Eve), but as for where the location of where the delivery was going to happen? Yeah, you're gonna have to thank the yustelle community on tumblr and twitter (I've read some of the comments by some fans and was inspired to let Ba'ul/Fiertia be the one to be the location)**

 **Hanks's declaration was very emotional for me as I had to sit down and reflect on what the character had to go through-and because of that, I began to lowkey see Yuri as a son (...yeah, that's weird to say but it somewhat fits with the story)**

 **Oh and Yuri's dialogue about being stuck in this world-doesn't it ring a bell? Yes, that's because it's the same line he says to Duke the first time they met (and I secretly wanted to implement it in so it fits)**

 **AND IF ANY OF YOU AREN'T AWARE-THE TITLE OF THE CHAPTER IS A FORESHADOW TO EVE'S BIRTH (SHE WAS NAMED AFTER BRAVE VESPERIA WITH ITS TRANSLATION, '(EVE)NING STAR'. AND ALSO, TWINKLE, TWINKLE LITTLE STAR IS THE FIRST SONG THAT ESTELLE AND YURI WOULD LIKELY SING TO HER.**

 **AND IF ANY OF YOU GUYS ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE MARRIAGE-DON'T WORRY, MORE EXPLANATIONS WILL BEGIN TOMORROW.**

 **SPEAKING OF TOMORROW...**

 **All I can say is that it would be the final conclusion (though Monday would be the epilogue, which is technically the 10th chapter-but anyway, once I publish the second to last chapter, be sure to read the ending notes because there will be announcements!**

 **As always, thank you for the comments! (they give me an insight into what you guys think of the fanfic and I'm glad for the overwhelming positivity and support!)**

 **Again, thank you all for the support!**

 **And feel free to comment (and give kudos in the A03 community)-I'm always eager to hear your opinions and open criticisms!**

 **That's all for now!**

 **See you tomorrow (with a box of tissues)!**


	9. Together, Hand-in-Hand

**Hello! Sorry to make you guys wait! But I just some news-**

 **I overestimated myself and what was supposed to be the entire chapter 9 became split into two chapters (now we have chapter 10 which I would be uploading alongside this)**

 **I would like to say that I was inspired by a certain comment (I'm looking at you, Jovee) and also, a certain fanfic (shoot for the moon) by aetherae-you can find at A03, and as a result, this is what I have to give to you all!**

 **Again, thank you for waiting patiently!**

 **And also, shoutout! This chapter is dedicated for the one and only MVP-Jovee! Thank you for your wonderful comments!**

 **As for the background of the title? The answer is within the chapter!**

 **Good luck!**

* * *

A few days have gone since the arrival of their baby daughter—Eve.

Aside from the members of Brave Vesperia, Hanks and the rest of the community in the Lower Quarter were given the opportunity to warmly welcome the newborn. To their surprise, they were greeted with a pair of bright green eyes, and though it was a bit too early to speculate, Marie could've sworn that the tiny hair strands on the newborn possessed a dark color.

Immediately, the people who laid eyes on her fell in love and were eager to see her grow in the next upcoming years. As for Hanks, he couldn't seem to get enough of his grandchild and insisted that wherever she goes, he would follow along. After much consideration, Yuri and Estelle agreed that the old man should be the one in charge of taking the role as Eve's nanny while the pair and their friends prepared for the wedding.

And so, Hanks tagged along with their group, entering through the Palace Gates to witness the shocked expressions of the young Emperor and Commandant who anticipated for their arrival.

For the bearded man, it became quite a surprise when he watched the two advanced toward him, only to halt abruptly in their steps to gaze intently at the newborn he was cradling in his arms, their eyes widening and mouths partly opening in complete awe.

"She's so beautiful," Ioder commented, smiling. "What's her name?"

"Genevieve," Estelle answered, collecting her hands together in a firm grip. "Or Eve, for short," As she added those words, she giggled as she snuck a glance over to her fiancé who looked back at her with the same mischievous grin. "Courtesy of Yuri over here,"

"…I-I'm an Uncle," Flynn managed to say, his cheeks turning red. "She's my niece…"

"That's right," Yuri began, taking a step forward as he widened his impish smirk, "Which means I'm expecting you to treat her with the utmost care, okay, Sir Commandant?"

The knight glanced over to his childhood friend and nodded firmly. "On my honor as a knight," He declared, sweeping his right hand above his head to form a salute before bowing his head.

"By the way, Estellise," Ioder joined in, gaining their attention. "Which location did you give birth to the little one? If it's beyond Zaphias, I'm sure I could make some proper arrangements,"

Eyes blinking and heads turning, the entire guild laughed.

Hanks, Ioder, and Flynn exchanged looks of confusion to one another.

"What's the matter?" Hanks spoke up, tightening his grip on the newborn. And then he shot an odd look at his foster son. "Come on, just say it!"

"Actually…" Karol trailed off, scratching the back of his head as he sheepishly grinned. "Estelle sort of…gave birth on the Fiertia…"

Ioder quirked an eyebrow, tilting his head to the side. "Oh?"

"You mean the boat?" Flynn wondered, which earned him a few nods from some of the others. "So, what about it?"

Smiling pleasantly, Judith proceeded to give him a hint, "Don't tell me that you've already forgotten?"

The knight pondered, not clearly understanding the meaning behind her head. As he mulled over his thoughts, slowly, it dawned to him. "Oh my god…" Quickly, he raised his arm to point a finger toward the smirking dark-haired man who gave him a wink. "Yuri, please don't tell me that you— "

Yuri caught on to this and laughed. "That's right, Flynn!" He cried loudly for some of the pedestrians idly walking by and even the guards on duty to stop and stare at the commotion. Snaking his arm around his fiancée's waist, he proceeded to exclaim at the top of his lungs, "We gave birth to a sky baby!"

"I cannot believe you!" Flynn exclaimed, shooting the latter a deadly glare. "Yuri, I told you that the Fiertia—hell, Ba'ul, is NOT a certified place to give birth to a baby! How could you? Don't you realize that you just broke another violation?"

Before Yuri could protest, he took notice of the White Knight sword that his childhood friend was unsheathing from his belt and took a step backward. "Come on, man!" He cried, laughing away, "Give me a pass, will ya?"

Flynn gritted his teeth and roared, "Absolutely not!"

Retreating a few steps back, Hanks silently advised the others to do the same. Nodding, Ioder and the rest of the members of Brave Vesperia did as they were told. Before they could even blink, their ears picked up the sound of scampering footsteps and Flynn yelling for the swordsman to come back at once.

Once the two men disappeared from their sight, a few minutes of awkward silence passed until—

"WAIT!" Rita suddenly cried, startling those around her. "WHERE THE HELL IS ESTELLE?"

On cue, Yuri returned though was quick on his feet as he redirected his pace to the opposite direction. And there, nestled in his arms, was none other than the slightly frightened pink-haired woman who was clutching onto his tunic for dear life. Seconds later, they heard another series of shouting and profanities coming from the knight who, too reappeared and was swiftly on their trails.

Growing frustrated, Rita ran forward. "HEY, YOU DIMWITS! COME BACK HERE!" She exclaimed, running after them.

Shaking her head, the Judith excused herself to chase after the fuming mage and following after her, was none other than Raven, who automatically seized the opportunity to provide her some form of backup.

Suspicious about the archer's motives, Karol and Patty fled next, with the blue dog barking animatedly and outrunning them.

…Leaving poor Hanks and Ioder to stand in the sidelines, watching with interest at the display of the nine individuals who were currently partaking on the shenanigans in front of them. The sound of laughter, erratic screaming, teeming magic, scattered footsteps, and whistling erupted in all directions—raising the bar of complete madness and chaos.

"Are they really the same people who saved us from the Adephagos?" Ioder wondered, loud enough for the other male standing next to him to hear.

When Hanks heard this, he couldn't help but shake his head. "Even I wonder the same thing," He admitted, chuckling a little. He then lowered his gaze at the newborn snuggled in his arms. Despite the noises in the background, little Eve remained fast-asleep.

And just like that, his worries were dissipated in the blink of an eye. Ignoring the chaos before him, all that mattered to him was the small bundle of joy and how grateful he was to still be alive to witness such a miracle.

"With parents and family like them," He whispered fondly in the baby's right ear, "There would never be a dull moment for you," And proceeded to peck her lightly on the cheeks, causing the baby to toss a little, her tiny hands occasionally twitching as if to reach out for something. Smiling, Hanks inserted his finger through her hands, hoping to tickle her. To his surprise, little Eve eagerly accepted it and let out a burst of lighthearted laughter.

A warm sensation filled his chest as the baby continued to laugh joyfully.

While Hanks continued to interact with his grandchild, he failed to realize the young Emperor watching them with a soft smile on his lips. Angling his body the other way, he veered his attention toward the spectacle about a few meters from where he stood.

In the midst of the chaos—of Yuri and Flynn clashing their swords, Estelle and Patty insisting that they should stop, Judith and Karol trying to calm down a still aggravated Rita with Raven and Repede resorting to sitting down on the patches of grass—there were laughter and merriment all around.

Sensing the closeness of the band of friends, Ioder nodded in approval.

"What a happy family, indeed,"

Later that afternoon, the young Emperor offered a resolution to their growing predicament.

"By the power invested in me," He proclaimed, holding a decorative sword above his head before slowly swinging it down though made sure not to touch the tip of his little niece's exposed head, "I, Ioder Argylos Heurassein—hereby give Genevieve Lowell the nominal title as the first child to be born as one with Terca Lumireis and its heavenly skies,"

* * *

Three months in and out of nowhere, Repede arrived with three pups—two boys and a girl.

Similar to Yuri and Estelle's relationship, Repede had a secret lover of his own but was unfortunately left to be the one to take full custody of them as it was eventually revealed by Hanks that the female dog died from an unexpected monster attack after stumbling upon her dead corpse near the entrance of the Capital.

Becoming reminded of Lillian and her sacrifices, Hanks insisted that Brave Vesperia should be the ones to help raise and provide care for the little puppies. While doing so, took the time to consult with the widowed dog who was down in the dumps for a while.

"I know how much it hurts right now," The bearded man comforted the dog who sprawled himself across the floor, looking exhausted. "But you'll get through this, I'm sure of it."

Repede huffed, turning his head to the side to keenly observe the light drizzling rain in the open yard.

Hanks bitterly smiled. "She must be really good to you, huh?"

Though the dog said nothing, he could tell from how tightly he was clenching the end of his pipe with his teeth that this seemed to be the case.

"I see…" He trailed off and once more, patted the latter in an affectionate manner.

All of a sudden, the dog sprang to his feet.

Worried, Hanks asked if something was amiss. Much to his dismay, Repede ignored this and rushed back inside the house, wandering aimlessly to find the source of the crying.

Sighing, the bearded man got up on his feet and headed inside. As soon as he stepped into the living room, his eyes widened as he watched the dog climb up on a nearby couch and leaned closer, dipping his wet nose in the crib and waiting for a reaction.

A tiny hand reached out, tugged on the dog's nostrils and laughed joyfully.

Hanks silently approached them, his lips slightly curving upwards as he happened to catch the dog's eyes softening prior to his interaction with the baby.

"My darling Eve," He began, looming over the crib and chuckling as the baby recognized him, her big green eyes twinkling and tiny hands reaching out for him. "You have quite the gift,"

It took about another week for Repede to eventually get back to normal. With Hanks's support and Little Eve's presence, his spirit was rekindled and proceeded to take on the job as a single father for his three pups.

That same week, Yuri and the others (excluding Karol who was terrible at giving out names), they eventually settled giving the young pups with the following names—

Lambert (named after Repede's deceased father) notable for its strikingly similar coat of fur and appearance as his biological father.

Zephyrus (Zephyr for short) and despite bearing the same look like the latter, it was the happy-go-lucky demeanor that distinguished him from his brother and father.

And lastly, Lamia (named after Repede's deceased mother), who could be easily set apart by her shorter tail and how she picked up Repede's habit of holding an object—in her case, random flowers that she liked were her go-to.

There were times when Repede was stationed at Dahngrest, leaving the poor pups on their own in the house at Halure. But through negotiation, the members of Brave Vesperia arranged a schedule that benefitted them all—the boys and girls would take turns taking the guild jobs while the other would remain in Halure and tend to not only the pups but also with Little Eve.

For the first shift, it was Yuri, Karol, Raven, and Repede who did the workload while Judith, Rita, and Patty stayed with Estelle and Hanks to nurse the puppies in good health (with the assistance of Hanks and often at times, Yuri during one of his spare times).

While doing that, Ioder would stay there for a good long while, helping with the arrangements for the wedding and getting to know the guild members and his baby niece. Flynn, on the other hand, stayed put in the Palace with his second command, Sodia and the young mage, Witcher ever present to aid him.

Above all else, the litter was well and healthy, becoming new additions to their ever-growing family.

* * *

While initiating the plans, Yuri suddenly suggested the idea to invite the Council members.

At first, Ioder and Flynn were against this but after a few minutes of trying to persuade them (which happened to be Estelle, of all people), they eventually got on board.

Prior to inviting the Council, this also meant that they were going to have to whip out their wildcard—the guilds.

"Let's have President Kaufman and her guild seated here," Estelle suggested, pointing a finger at the two middle rows on the blueprint layout. "And then we'll have Sir Wilkins and Sir Quentin right there," And again, pointed to another row ahead of the ones she previously chose.

Flynn raised an eyebrow. "Don't you think that's a little too close from where Fortune's Market is stationed?"

Estellise shook her head. "I don't think she minds," She assured him with a sweet smile, "Besides, the more guild members present, the more we'll be able to anger the Council, right?"

Flynn widened his eyes, surprised to hear those words coming out of the princess. He quickly motioned his head to the young emperor who didn't seem to voice out his concerns regarding this. Getting worried, he turned to face the last person for help.

"Hey, Yuri," He called out to his barely-conscious friend, who leaned back against the open window with Little Eve in his arms.

Stirring from his sleep, the dark-haired man yawned and blinked a few times. "What's up, Flynn?"

"Lady Estellise sounds a little cunning than usual," He explained before shooting him a glare. "What the hell have you been teaching her these past few years?"

Hearing this, Yuri smirked. "Well, let me ask you this, Flynn…" He began, sitting upright. Carefully propping the newborn and with one hand, held her close to his chest, he responded back with, "If one of those stuck-up assholes refused to let you be with the one you love the most, what would you do? Defy the laws or something?"

Thinking it over, the knight sighed. "No, I won't break the rules but…" He trailed off, shaking his head as he furrowed his eyebrows.

"You'd want to sucker punch the hell out of them, right?" Yuri finished his sentence, which earned him a baffled look.

Flynn opened his mouth to protest, only to catch himself from doing so and turned the other way. Now that he thought real hard about it, the current position that Yuri and Estelle were in must be quite difficult for them. Not that he was speaking out of experience but the reality of it. He fixed his gaze on the newborn and smiled weakly.

"If it involves someone like her," Flynn points out, jerking his chin to the sleeping baby, "Then yeah, I'll gladly punch the life out of them."

"Exactly," Yuri agreed, nodding along. "And after rejecting our offer to wed the first time, we thought it'd be best to pay them back. That way, we'll both be even,"

Unfazed by his words, the knight rolled his eyes. Still, he couldn't help but produce a grin on his lips. "All right then," He said finally, sighing deeply, "But just this once…"

Hearing this, Yuri nodded. "We'll be sure to make it worth your while,"

And for the next few hours, they returned to join Estelle and Ioder to contribute more to the planning. It took months for everything to be arranged—secretly letting in some of their friends to each play a certain part in the ceremony.

Along the way, they were faced with some problems though were quickly resolved.

With no priest to officiate them, it was Leblanc who came to the rescue and self-volunteered himself to take the position.

Adecor and Boccos were granted with the job of being escorts to the Lower Quarter folks, leading them to the castle gardens where the wedding ceremony would be located.

Karol and Raven helped with the deliverance of the invitations, mostly among the guilds. For Judith, Rita, and Patty, they set off with Ba'ul to personally invite the friends that they've made along their journey.

Ioder took care of the catering business while Flynn instructed his brigade as well as the rest of the entire Imperial Knights on security and defense in case a potential brawl were to happen.

Which left Yuri and Estelle at the hands of the royal tailors with Hanks and Repede keeping watch over Little Eve and the wandering pups.

It took about an hour and a half for Estelle to choose her wedding dress—a bountiful dress with layers of creamy white that perfectly showed her curves, pink flowers situated on the front to match her short hair along with a veil that she acquired from her journey, and a heart-shaped necklace at the center of her exposed cleavage.

"…What do you think?" She spoke up, coming out of the dressing room and twirled around, all the while blushing furiously.

Hanks looked up, smiled, and then nodded in approval. "It suits you, my dear," He expressed before lowering his head to face the baby resting on top of his lap. "What do you think, Little Eve? Does your mother look pretty in her dress?"

Estelle giggled as she watched her daughter animatedly wave her arms, bouncing up and down in delight. "I take that as a yes," She agreed, approaching them. Sitting herself down next to the bearded man, she was tackled by one of the puppies. "Come here, Lambert," She cooed, carefully taking the little pup from the ground and letting him get close to her daughter. "Say hello to Eve,"

Both reached out for each other, with Lambert being the first to lick the latter across the face.

Eve's expression contorted, shaping her tiny hands into fists.

"Oh no, she's gonna cry," Hanks cried, quickly excusing himself out the door. "I'll see you later, dear,"

Estelle nodded and raised her gloved hand to wave at her daughter as she and her father-in-law left the dressing room.

Once they were outside, Eve bawled.

"Shh, Shh…" Hanks whispered in her ear, cradling her and pecking her on the temple. "You're alright, Eve…you're alright…"

From the corner of his eye, he noticed his foster son wandering around the hallways. He whistled him to come over, which the latter hurriedly responded. He smiled at the sight of the dark-haired man donning a white suit, though it was quick to disappear when he realized that his green necktie was loose and was hanging on the side of his shoulder, how his long mane was somewhat tousled, and the inner vest he had inside was completely unbuttoned.

"What in the world happened to you, boy?" Hanks stressed, though made sure not to raise his voice as the newborn continued to cry aloud. "Got into a fight or something?"

Yuri scratched the back of his head as he grumbled, "Something like that…" He averted his eyes to crying daughter and smiled. "Can I take her off your hands?"

Hanks shook his head as he shot him a glare. "Yuri, you didn't choose your suit!"

"So, what?" He argued back, getting annoyed. "You should know that better than anyone else, old man! I'm not good with all this fancy-schmancy stuff,"

Hanks rolled his eyes. "At least put an effort to look decent for your fiancée. She's all set, you know? Looking so glamorous and picturesque, and then there's you, looking like you just came out of a hangover or something,"

Yuri groaned. "Hanks, please…" And reached out to grab hold of his daughter.

Again, the bearded man shook his head. "No, I'm not giving you Eve!" He exclaimed and then proceeded to gesture his chin to the clothes that the latter was wearing. "Not until you fix…whatever it is that yer wearing,"

The swordsman groaned. "Fine…" And then walked off to the direction of where his dressing room was located.

Rolling his eyes, Hanks focused his attention back to Little Eve. He smiled—he was so busy lecturing Yuri that he had failed to realize that the newborn had calmed herself down and was back to her usual, bubbly self. Chuckling, the bearded man held her close and sighed deeply.

"Blest the spirits that you have your mother's personality and not your father's,"

* * *

After months of preparations, the day of the wedding finally arrived…and to everyone's amusement, the result was naturally chaotic.

It began in the early afternoon—the date is on November 22nd and with the help of the four great spirits, the weather became fairly nice with clear, blue skies and cherry blossoms floating about from the trees planted in the gardens.

The wedding venue was spectacular—as it was located outside, every person invited were able to get a sense of the grandeur size of the whole area—from the hundreds of chairs lined up in perfect order, to the bustling floral decorations, and twinkling lights in the tiny shapes of stars hanging overhead the large canopy.

Along the purple rug consisted of pink petals, and further down the aisle—there was a floral arch at the end of it were a few chairs in the first row exclusively for those who were close to the bride and the groom.

Everything was in orderly fashion…and then there were the guests.

"This is unacceptable!" One of the council members cried, stomping his foot against the grass. "What kind of trickery is this?"

"They must be baiting us here just to look like fools!" Another ranted, seething their teeth. "And these disgusting barbarians and street rats prancing around here as if they own this place…who in their right mind invited them in an extravagant place such as this?"

"It must be that insolent vigilante," A third one voiced out their concerns, "First tainting the princess with those bloodied hands, then impregnating her with his own spawn…and now, this pig show!"

With the council members and nobles immersed with themselves, some of the guild members gathered together with the folks of the Lower Quarter.

"This is quite a scene…" Kaufman trailed off, folding her arms as she scanned through the perimeter. When she became reminded of a certain pair, all she could do was chuckle to herself. "This is sure to be interesting…"

Once every person settled themselves to their designated seating—in which case, the Councilmen becoming offended by how they were scattered about as they were forced to be seated next to a guild representative and a person coming from the Lower Quarter, only to get yelled back by a short mage who was held back by some of their friends—the ceremony commenced.

Together, Yuri, Flynn, and their friends positioned themselves at the front of the venue.

Turning his head to face the officiate for the wedding, who happened to be Leblanc, Yuri gave him a two-finger salute.

LeBlanc nodded firmly, though brought his hand over to the side of his upper left chest and tapped on it.

Yuri narrowed his eyes. "What?"

Luckily, Flynn was there to help him out. "Dammit, Yuri!" He scolded his foster brother, raising his hands out and reached out to fix the brooch on his suit. "Come on, get yourself together!"

"Hey, cut it out!" Yuri cried back, getting irritated.

While the brothers bickered, Karol and Raven rolled their eyes.

"This is going to be a long ceremony…" Karol muttered lowly under his breath.

Raven nodded along in agreement. "You could say that again…"

On the other side of the venue, the girls were having their own conversation.

"I have a bad feeling about this…" Rita moaned, nursing her temple.

Judith smiled earnestly. "Well, at least we're here to witness everything…" She admitted, causing the two to stare wide-eyed at her. "Four to five years in the making…that's an awfully long time to commit yourself to someone,"

Rita snorted, folding her arms. "If you're so jealous, why don't you go and find someone that suits you?"

The female Kriytan tipped her head to the side, mulling the thought over. "If I had done that, then I wouldn't be where I am now…" She explained, "Being here with you, Patty, and the rest of the guild—my new family…to me, that's all that matters."

Patty gleefully bobbed her head. "Aye!" She exclaimed merrily.

Hearing this, the short mage's cheeks turned crimson. "…Whatever,"

Suddenly, the noises went utterly silence as they watched a few flower girls and boys enter through the aisle dancing around and holding hands. Everyone stopped and stared, some cooing and awing at the sight.

Meanwhile, the Councilmen watched this and cringed in their seats.

Yuri beamed, recognizing the children automatically to be the same ones from the orphanages and Estelle's general audience for storytelling. Once they reached the end, Yuri walked forward and presented them with an open palm to which all five of them proceeded to high-five him one by one—which earned a few laughs here and there.

And then later, Repede came in with a basket of his own. Behind his hind legs were his little puppies—Lambert, Zephyr, and Lamia adorably skipping around and racing to the end of the aisle where the others waited for them.

Next came Hanks, dressed in a handsome suit and holding Little Eve in his arms. Whisperings and cooing ensued in all directions, though it was pretty obvious where the gossiping was coming from. When the bearded man reached the end of the aisle, he gave Yuri a prideful smile and then proceeded to take the newborn's tiny arm to initiate a wave.

Grinning widely, Yuri waved back with their friends, including LeBlanc following his example.

Last but not least, Estelle arrived with Ioder at her side.

Yuri stood there, his mouth partly opened as his eyes zoomed in on his bride who stared back at him with a loving gaze. He didn't realize that he was staring at her for too long until Flynn had to nudge him on the elbow to force him back into reality.

Blinking, Yuri blushed a little as he found his friends, Estelle, and even LeBlanc chuckling at his dumbfounded state. Confused, he turned to his fiancée and asked her what was wrong.

"You're drooling, Yuri…" She pointed out in-between her fit of giggles.

Quickly, the dark-haired man brought an arm over his mouth to wipe it off, though his ears were able to still pick up a few chuckles even from the audience. Clearing his throat, he turned to face LeBlanc and gave him a knowing look.

Right away, the subordinate cleared his throat, nodded firmly and veering down on the book resting on his hands, began to recite the words provided for him.

All the while, Yuri and Estelle stared at each other, hands holding each other, making funny faces to make the other laugh or snort, and overall, just content with how everything seemed alright with the world.

And once they exchanged their vows and rings and were proclaimed as husband and wife to their friends, family, and the people they didn't know, the dark-haired man took this as a notion to step up his game, only to find himself getting pulled forward as his princess tugged on his tie in a playful manner. Going on her tip-toes, Estelle captured his lips and from there, they sealed the deal.

Sparks of electricity spread throughout his body, and feeling bold, Yuri took her into his arms and spun her around, at the same time, deepening their kiss.

A large round of applauds erupted everywhere, with most of them coming from their friends and those in the first few rows as they rejoiced for the newly-wedded pair.

"THIS IS LUDICROUS!"

All eyes and ears turned to the main source who happened to be one of the oldest councilmen standing up from his seat and directing his finger at the pair. "WHAT KIND OF MADNESS IS THIS, YOUR HIGHNESS?" He continued to lash out, "GUILD MEMBERS…PIGS AND RATS FROM THE LOWER QUARTER…FOREIGN INVADERS FROM ANOTHER LAND…WHAT IN THE WORLD HAS GOTTEN INTO YOUR HEAD— "

Before he could go on any further, something hit him from behind. Peeved, the councilman hastily turned around and glared at the people around him.

The details weren't clear as to who originally started it or how the madness happened, but one thing's for certain—that at that point, the ceremony had ended with Yuri, Estelle and the other members of Brave Vesperia safely evacuating the people of the Lower Quarter, Teagle and his family, Karen and Rich, the puppies along with His Highness Ioder before eventually throwing themselves into the chaos that was the Councilmen and the guild representatives going out in an all-out brawl. Even the Imperial Knights that Flynn originally instructed didn't seem to help one bit as they were easily tossed to the side or had accidentally hit someone and got struck by a weapon.

To their surprise, Flynn came over to present the newly-husband and wife their respective equipment to which they happily took.

"Last one there's a rotten egg!" Karol exclaimed, rushing forth with a hammer equipped with both hands.

"Hey! Don't leave me behind!" Patty cried, following after him.

Judith and Rita snuck glances at each other, nodded before advancing forward as well.

"I-uh, have some business to attend to…" Raven trailed off with a sheepish grin. Before he could flee the scene, Flynn caught him by the collar and dragged him along.

"Captain Schwann, we need your assistance!" The young Commandant proclaimed, "Let's do this! On our honor as knights!"

This left Yuri and Estelle on their own, grinning widely at the chaos laid before them.

Taking a few steps, the swordsman turned around to face the princess. With one hand holding the handle of his sword and the other reaching out to take her hand, he offered her an encouraging smile. "Shall we?"

Estelle crinkled her lips to produce a smile. She nodded, reached out to accept his hand and squeezed it tightly. "Let's go," She answered him, quickly pecking him on the cheek before going onward with her rapier at the ready.

* * *

A few hours later and the brawl gradually subsided—closing what was to be quite the historic event for years to come.

In the banquet hall, most of the tables were left barren as the majority of the guests—especially those hailing from nobility, some of the lesser-known guilds, and among the Council had departed. As for the others who decided to remain, they made sure to end the night away with a bang.

For the newly-wedded couple, this meant one thing…

"A 200-melee tournament?" Hanks cried aloud, shocked beyond words. "Are you crazy?"

To his surprise, Yuri shook his head. "Natz gave Estelle and I a ticket in advance to reserve our entry for the next tournament in the next coming weeks," He explained, pausing briefly to lift the newborn from his lap and raised her above his head, causing the latter to laugh joyously. As he watched his little daughter peer up and started to reach out for the cluster of stars with her tiny hands, he grinned. "But for now, our top priority is this little brat. Which means, our getaway would have to wait…"

Hearing this, Hanks heaved a sigh. "Oh, that's good…" He expressed, chuckling. As he focused back to his foster son, he couldn't help but produce a prideful smile as he watched him and his newborn daughter interact animatedly with each other—with Yuri rubbing their noses together before placing his mouth on top of her chubby stomach and blowing a raspberry. The bundle of joy laughed harder, wiggling her arms and legs in enjoyment.

"Oh, there you are!"

Father and son stopped what they were doing and turned around only to find the blushing bride standing before them with two servings of strawberry shortcake.

"Sorry to bother you from your privacy," Estelle began, smiling, "But I thought maybe you'd like to have something to eat,"

Hanks bowed his head, reaching out to graciously accept her offering with Yuri repeating the same action.

Before she could leave, she noticed Eve reaching out for her. "I'm afraid she wants to come with me," The princess spoke up, squatting a little to take the newborn into her arms who happily crawled into her arms. Once the little girl made contact with her mother, she nuzzled her cheeks along with her exposed neck.

Estelle sighed, tipping her head and inhaling her daughter's powdery scent.

"You go on ahead, Estelle," Yuri assured his wife, his eyes softening. "I'll join you guys later,"

Estelle nodded, shared a quick kiss with her husband before walking off to return to the banquet hall where the Marie, Ted, the children, Karen, President Kaufman, and the other members of Brave Vesperia surrounded her to get a good look at the newborn.

A moment of silence filled the air between the bearded man and his foster son.

"Strawberry shortcake…" Hanks spoke up, breaking the ice. "I'm guessing you were the one in charge of the dessert section?" He motioned his head to face the latter, only to find him already stuffing his mouth with big pieces of the cake. Catching this, he laughed boisterously.

"After all this time, yer still the same old Yuri," He uttered lowly to himself, taking hold of the fork near the edge of the small plate, began to slice some of the layers before proceeding to take a bite out of it. Munching it over, he hummed, only to abruptly cringe in his seat. "Too sweet…"

* * *

Few months after the wedding, Flynn became a father.

In retrospect, it happened during one of his expedition across the Ilycian continent when he came across a couple who had just been attacked by monsters and were close to their brink of death. With nobody else to turn to for help, they insisted that the young Commandant should take care of their baby girl.

Recalling his foster father and the struggles he went through to raise him and Yuri, Flynn gladly accepted the wailing bundle into his arms and assured her parents that she was in good hands. With grateful smiles gracing their features, the mother and father of the unnamed baby girl succumbed to their wounds, eventually embracing death.

And so, on May 23rd—Flynn adopted the baby girl who later came to be known as Sarah Scifo.

"Okay, now you're just trying to copy me…" Yuri grumbled, refusing to meet eye contact with his childhood friend who sat across the table holding a cup of black tea in one hand.

Flynn rolled his eyes. "Why would I do that—copying someone like you of all people?" He exclaimed, growing frustrated. "Look, Yuri, I'm doing this because I want to. I also want to make sure that Sarah has a future that she could pave on her own…" As he delivered those words, another thought occurred to him. "Just like what you're doing now with Genevieve…"

At the mention of his daughter, Yuri finally turned to face the knight. With his arms still crossed over his chest, he took a moment to collect himself and sighed. "Any ideas of what to do moving forward?" He spoke up after a few minutes of silence. "Do you think you can raise her on your own? You do know that raising a child is a handful,"

"I know," Flynn agreed, "Parenting is a two-person job…" As he trailed off, he placed his arms on the surface of the table and groaned. "Maybe I should've thought this through…"

"Does Hanks know?"

"…No, I haven't told him yet," Flynn admitted, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Maybe after I'm done here, I'll drop by the Lower Quarter and tell him."

Yuri nodded intently. "He's got the right to know," He pressed on, crossing his leg over the other as he leaned back against his chair. "Especially since he's the one who just so happens to have done the same thing to the both of us…" His lips produced an impish smirk. "And who knows? Maybe you could finally turn some heads and look at you differently," He continued, "You know, maybe let them be your partner in craziness or something…"

The knight mustered a smile. "Say, how's Genevieve?" He began, changing the topic.

"She's doing well," Yuri began, smiling, "She loves playing with Repede and the pups, and would sleep for a long time. Estelle and I made sure to take turns caring for her or if not, we just do everything together—you know, like a team,"

Flynn chuckled. "Good to hear," And sighed in relief.

Yuri frowned. "What are you looking at me like that?"

"Hmm?"

"That look, right there," Yuri points out, quirking an eyebrow. "What's up with that?"

The knight smiled before chuckling. "Oh, it's just…" He trailed off, choosing his words carefully before speaking once more. "I've never seen you this relaxed before. Usually, you'd be walking around with a grumpy look but now—you're always smiling, despite being worn out from your guild duties,"

Listening to his words, Yuri cracked a grin. "If you have a child, you'll want to do everything you can to give him a future," He muttered, looking elsewhere.

"…Yuri?"

Alarmed, the dark-haired man cleared his throat before shaking his head. "Never mind what I said…" He drawled out, waving his hand dismissively. "Anyway, go talk to Hanks if you can," And then flashed a smile. "Knowing the old man, he'd probably give you a few tips on how to get started and whatnot,"

* * *

Time flew passed since then.

And within those few short years, Hanks began to find himself becoming immersed with such news. So far, most of it has been positive.

First, there was Flynn declaring that he had picked up a stray orphan in the middle of nowhere, a baby girl who seemed to be around the same age as Little Eve. Fueled by determination, the knight had sworn that he would take her under her wing and raise her as his own.

With that said, Hanks found himself becoming the grandfather of another healthy child (not that he seems to mind).

More months passed and the bearded man became one of the few witnesses to Little Eve's first steps (as he just so happened to have exited out of the Fiertia, only to catch the little one clumsily walking over to him on two feet with Yuri and Estelle right behind her in case she fell down).

Coincidentally, Sarah showed promising skills through her fast-learning, becoming the first out of the two to start speaking, with her first word being that of, "…Apple," and funnily enough, it just so happened that Witcher was around and seemed to have triggered it.

As soon as Yuri heard of this, he immediately warmed up to his niece and insisted that he should be the one to take her as his student as soon as she was of age—to which Flynn argued back that if his foster brother were to do that, then he should do the same with Eve…and as usual, what resulted next came into clashes of swords—only to be interrupted by a certain princess who showed no mercy to them once she found out that they were disrupting the gardens and scaring the neighbors away due to their intensive sparring.

In the end—they both came to a conclusion…that Estelle should be the one to be Eve and Sarah's swordsman teacher.

Speaking of Estelle, about two years later—she was pregnant again, and much to Hanks and Flynn's dismay, the desired location for the childbirth was once again in the small cabin of the Fiertia, soaring through the skies with Ba'ul. This time, the knight happened to be there as he wanted to have a fast-travel to Aurnion. And when he happened to witness the four spirits embedded within the princess come to life to once more help out with the stabilization of her formula, he realized that all this time, there was nothing to worry about.

And in that cold morning of November, a baby boy by the name of Owain Lowell was born—with little strands of pink hair and mesmerizing ebony eyes apparent to the people who laid their sights on him.

Once more, Ioder was summoned and granted his nephew a similar-sounding title as the one that his two-year-old sister was bestowed with.

Around that same time, Judith gained overwhelming support and popularity among the Kriytan people. With the amounts of Gald that she managed to save up through her services, she created a dojo exclusively for other young Kriytans to take part of in Dahngrest. With the elder proclaiming that the Enxtelexia, Khroma, was close to its deathbed, it was time for her people to part ways with the sky and adapt to the land—beginning with the introduction of combat.

It was there that the female lancer met a five-year-old orphaned Kriytan named Seliph, who happened to have lost his parents during the reign of the Adephagos. She described their first meeting to be intertwined with fate, claiming how she felt like it was her responsibility to take him under her wing.

"There are no words to describe the kind of feeling I was having when I met him," She described to the bearded man who had asked her what prompted her to do such action, "But if my father, who took me in as his own, had done so, then I would follow his footsteps and do the same,"

With that said, baby Owain and Seliph were welcomed with open arms to the Brave Vesperia family.

Another three years passed afterward and as always, more changes came.

First, there was Eve. Now that she was five-years-old, her appearance slowly became prominent—no doubt, she inherited her mother's eye color and eye shape, the roundness of her visage to her petite appearance.

As for her father, she inherited his long, dark hair (though for her, she decided to keep it short like her mother), his impish smirk, and his reckless personality—which triggered poor Hanks to become reminded of a certain foster son of his being such a loathsome brat.

Even so, Eve was quite fortunate as she had the princess as her mother and was made sure to be taught proper mannerisms and etiquette in certain occasions, learning how to be formal and informal depending on the environment and people she'd encounter.

As expected, she became the rightful owner of Lambert, the first pup of Repede and together, they were inseparable.

However, what nobody predicted was Eve's fondness of the Extelexeia and spirits, most notably with Ba'ul. Because of this, she was always seen around her Auntie Judith who was more than happy to teach her about them. And when the time came for her sixth birthday, she was bestowed with a feather from Ba'ul and with the help of her mother, became a trademark accessory necklace for her and her only.

Then, there was Sarah.

Bright, wavy red hair and blue eyes so fair and full of hope, even at the age of six-years-old, she held a promising aptitude and thirst for knowledge. Much to Yuri and the others' dismay, she seemed to have adopted some of Flynn's characteristics such as waking up every morning to jog around, having a poor fashion sense and the most obvious one of all—already dreaming to become an ambitious knight as her father (though this seemed to heighten due to them currently living at Aurnion).

Though unlike the latter, she seemed to be rather good at cooking.

And the kicker? The two girls—Eve and Sarah were birds of a feather and like Yuri and Flynn, were already showing signs of rivalry with one another.

As for Owain who was barely two-years-old, he was a quiet and frightened little boy. For one thing, he was scared of fighting and would even cower whenever Yuri brought him to visit the garrison in Dahngrest. Then again, it must've been the accidental fights in the public streets that they would come across every now and then. It took even longer for the poor boy to eventually warm up to Repede and the pups, though was quick to develop a bond with the ever-happy-go-lucky Zephyr. A mommy's boy and a constant crybaby, Yuri and Estelle couldn't help but worry for his future.

Nevertheless, Hanks was there to assure them that this was normal. "You might not know this but Yuri went through this kind of stage," He explained, which earned him a frown from his foster son. "Took him a long time to warm up to everything but once he got used to it, well…I mean, look at him,"

"Hey!" Yuri exclaimed, quite offended by the comment.

Estelle giggled. "Thank you, Hanks," And glanced down at the sleeping boy nestled in her arms.

Lastly, there was Seliph. Though Hanks didn't spend much time with him as he was rather close to the female lancer above all else, he could tell from the few instances that he encountered the young Krityan that he displayed a sense of modesty and resilience.

For a while, Hanks enjoyed the company of his granddaughters and grandson and as promised, would often hitch a ride on Ba'ul to simply visit Halure to see them, the pups and their eccentric parents.

And when the time came for Yuri and Estelle to announce another pregnancy—to which the members of Brave Vesperia continuously gushed and gambling over how 'busy' they've been lately—Hanks had a sinking feeling that his time was almost reaching its conclusion.

Worried that he'd cause a panic, he allowed himself to keep it in.

With his wooden cane in tow and Eve providing him support by leading him the way to the house, he did what he could to cherish every second of his visits with the Lowell family.

* * *

 **And that's the end of part one of chapter nine (next chapter after this is supposedly part two)**

 **Like I mentioned before, this was mostly unplanned and the entire chapter was inspired by aetherae's beautiful fanfic which involves a very realistic yustelle wedding! (and if that author happens to be reading this end notes, let her know that I give her my thanks and that I'm sorry that I didn't speak to you sooner regarding this)**

 **Also, Yuri and Estelle's wedding attire were heavily based on the Tales of Asteria wedding event gacha (I fell in love with Estelle's gown~)**

 **And if you're wondering about the strange surge of new children and puppies, rest-assured, the next chapter would touch lightly upon it (and if not, then the announcement will!)**

 **Anyway, I would like to say thank you for the wonderful comments!**

 **Like I said, feel free to comment down below (I'm eager to know your opinions and open criticisms!)**

 **Can't say that I'll wait for you but rather, I'll see you all in the next chapter!**


	10. Somewhere Only We Know

"Hanks,"

Without bothering to turn around, the bearded man replied back with, "What is it, Yuri?"

"Come on, you should get inside," The swordsman began, squatting down on his feet and helping his foster father get up from his seat on the steps of the open patio. "Wouldn't wanna you to start getting a fever now, especially with Ted almost close to his sixteenth birthday,"

Hanks let out a shaky breath, causing the latter to eye him in suspicion.

"That'll be best," He agreed and as he began to stand, he found himself falling back down. Luckily, Yuri was there to catch him on time.

"Hanks!" Yuri cried, suddenly urgent.

To his surprise, the bearded man laughed the incident off like it was nothing. "I'm fine, Yuri," Hanks assured the man behind him as he proceeded to place a hand on his shoulder. "I'm good, I'm good…"

Yuri rolled his eyes. "Come on, let's just go," And seizing the old man's bony wrist, they entered the house.

As soon as they stepped in, they were welcomed by Eve who quickly approached them with a book in her hands. "Daddy, Daddy!"

"Yeah, Eve?"

"Mommy's putting Owain to sleep," She began, bouncing up and down. "Could you read me a story while we wait for my turn?"

Yuri grinned. "Sure, kiddo," And reached out to ruffle her hair affectionately.

Hanks crinkled his lips to form a smile as he watched his foster son took the little girl into his arms and began to tickle her, causing the latter to laugh joyously and crying out, "Daddy! Stop it! That tickles!"

Once that was finished, the swordsman walked over to a nearby couch where they began to settle down to begin the storytelling. When he noticed the absence of his foster father, Yuri looked up and upon sighting the bearded man, turned to his daughter and began to whisper a few words in her ear.

Beaming, the little girl jumped out of the couch and ran toward the bearded man. "Grandpa!" She exclaimed, taking his hand and looking up with her big, green eyes. "Daddy wants you to join us for some storytelling!"

Chuckling, Hanks nodded. "Okay then…" He muttered, "Why don't you be a good girl and lead me over there?"

Nodding excitedly, Eve pulled him along.

And once they settled him down on the couch, Eve quickly left to go upstairs, only to join them a few minutes later with a Mieu doll in her hands. "Okay, begin!" She cried with thumbs up in the air.

On cue, Yuri opened the first page of the book and began to read aloud. What followed after was Yuri's poorly constructed interpretation of the story. Despite this, he managed to successfully make Eve and Hanks laugh as he tried to imitate the sound of a Ribbit.

Unbeknownst to them, Estelle was leaning from the balcony of the staircase, attentively listening to her husband's terrible commentary and tried hard to stifle her giggle or she might be caught right then and there.

A few minutes passed and it was ten o'clock—which means that it was time for Eve to go to sleep.

"No, I wanna keep reading!" She protested as she tried to attempt to make a pouty face but failed miserably. "Please, Daddy!"

Yuri gave her a stern look. And then a thought popped into his head. "If you don't wake up early…" He began as he produced a devilish smirk, "Then you won't be able to see Ba'ul tomorrow morning,"

The second she heard of the flying Extelexeia's name, Eve gasped. "No, don't say that!" She proclaimed, proceeding to hit him repeatedly on the chest. "Daddy, please!"

Trying to contain his laughter, Yuri held his breath and continued with his lecture. "Genevieve, if you go to sleep now, you might be able to get a chance to see him,"

Hearing this, the little girl nodded. "Okay!" And leaned in to peck her father on the cheek. "Nighty-night, Daddy!" Then turned around back to face her grandpa and did the same, "Nighty-night, Grandpa!" Grabbing hold of the Mieu doll, she quickly ran up the staircase.

Both Yuri and Hanks listened intently to her soft pitter-pattering footsteps and once they heard the sound of a door banging, they finally faced each other and exchanged smiles.

"You're doing well," Hanks commented, chuckling.

Yuri grinned. "Good thing I've got you as a model," He replied, leaning back against the couch and sighing deeply. "And Estelle here to back me up in case anything happens,"

"You're a natural at this," The bearded man pressed further, "And here I thought that you were gonna screw them up or something,"

"I had my own doubts about it too," Yuri confessed, looking up to face the ceiling. "There was this one time in our journey that we happened to come across a baby in Heliord. Rita and Estelle took up the duty as its parents for a short while—and unsurprisingly, they were pretty good. But for me? At that time, I wouldn't even dare touch the baby…I was worried that with my bloodied hands, I would've tainted them and…"

He caught himself in time before he could proceed any further, and then looked the other way. "I made up an alibi that I wasn't good with babies…even to the point of distancing myself from it when Rita and Estelle decided to raise it together for a short time, and even when the mother of the baby approached us and thanked us…I couldn't bring myself to say anything,"

Hanks softened his expression. "That's all in the past now," He began, reaching out to pat him on the shoulder. "Whatever you did, don't worry about it. This is the present. Different person, different Yuri," As he said those words, he smiled. "But always the same old brat that I've come to know and love,"

"What've you been drinking, old man?" Yuri tossed back, "You sound as if today's gonna be your last day,"

Hanks stiffened, though was quick to recover as he forced out a grin on his face. "Well, I'm an eighty-three-year-old man…" He began, "So let me say whatever the hell I want,"

Smiling, father and son laughed.

"Yuri," Hanks addressed his foster son, "Promise me one thing,"

The dark-haired man turned to face him and nodded. "Yeah?"

The bearded took a moment to contemplate over his words until finally, he smiled and muttered in a soft tone, **"Never be afraid to make mistakes. And don't be too hard on yourself. Don't fear the unknown and dive in. Always be open to new ideas and if you can't adapt to it, then don't worry about it—let the change gradually change you. Keep your head high and follow your dreams…but if yer dreams get too big, don't quickly discard them away and think that that's it. No, take time to reflect on your actions and from there, decide—your life is in your hands, you have to make the choices by yourself.** And always remember,"

He turned to face his foster son and produced a prideful smile. "That no matter what happens from here on out or from then on, know that I will always be there to support you and watch you continue to grow…and above all, be happy,"

There was a moment of quietness between them—neither spoke nor moved.

Shuffling his feet, Yuri turned to glance over at his foster father and began with, "Hanks— "

"I better get going and sleep," The bearded man interrupted, startling the latter as he gradually rose up from his seat and reclaiming his cane at the side of the couch, began to teeter toward the staircase. "Gotta get back to Zaphias first thing in the morning and…" As he rambled off, he failed to realize that Yuri was already making his way over to assist him. "Wha…Yuri? What are ya doing?"

When he turned around, he found the swordsman offering him an encouraging grin. Swallowing his saliva thickly, he allowed for the latter to help him go up the staircase—silently abiding by his assistance.

"Don't start dying on me, old man," Yuri grumbled, though Hanks caught it and he couldn't help but feel his chest constrict. "I want you to stay with us for as long as you can, so don't start spatting garbage like that, okay?"

All Hanks could do was bitterly smile.

While he had full trust in Yuri to keep the promise that he bestowed him, he knew that deep down, he couldn't fulfill the one given to him.

And so, he replied back with a light chuckle and an eager, "I'll try,"

* * *

On the 30th day of December—and much to Flynn's frustration, another baby was born in the Fiertia, this time a baby girl by the name of Anneliese Lowell, or Ann for short. Pink hair like her mother's and striking ebony eyes like her father's—like her older sister and brother, was the perfect mix of their parents in their youths.

It just so happened that they were close to Zaphias and overwhelmed with joy, Yuri was the first one to rush into the Lower Quarter to deliver the news to the first person that came to mind…only to find out that the latter had fallen down the staircase earlier that afternoon.

It happened in a blur.

Ted and Marie, who happened to have fortunately come over to see what he was doing had found poor man lying down on the floor. Frantic, the middle-aged woman urged the teenager to quickly alert the entire community of Hanks being unconscious while she did her best to bring him over to the nearest couch and make sure that he was breathing normally.

By then, every single member of the community rushed inside the house and crowded around the poor old man. They insisted that they should find someone to contact Yuri or Flynn—but unfortunately, they were away on a mission with the rest of the guild members, during which was later escalated to another delivery and the unexpected birth of the third Lowell child.

Determined to save their foster father, Flynn instructed the nearby Imperial Knights that were stationed at the Public Quarter to find any doctor available as soon as possible. At the same time, Raven took this notion to also order the Schwann Brigade to deliver word to His Highness regarding Estelle's successful delivery.

About an hour later and the doctor arrived with her briefcase in tow, ready to help. The members of the guild, the Schwann brigade, and the folks of the Lower Quarter patiently waited for any news outside while those close to the old man—Yuri, Flynn, Estelle, Repede, and the children remained present at his side, with his foster sons the ones to seize hold of his hands.

It took another thirty minutes for the old man to finally crack one eye open and then the other. Slowly, he lowered his chin and was surprised to find the three adults and the children looking back at him with worrisome looks.

"What's…going on?" Hanks slurred, unable to process what was going on.

"You fell down the stairs and went unconscious for about a few hours," Flynn explained, gripping his hand tightly in assurance. "Don't worry, you're going to be alright. We have a doctor here to help you,"

"If you need anything, let us know," Estelle joined in, at the same time, cradling the newborn in her arms close to her chest. "And we'll do what we can to give it to you,"

"Why did you have to make us worry, huh?" Yuri suddenly cried, startling the children huddled around them. "Geez, old man! Why'd you have to do this?"

Ignoring his outburst, Hanks chuckled. "I'm sorry for making you upset, boy," And reached out to brush his hand across the latter's cheeks. He then turned his focus on the people around him and heaved a sigh. "So sorry for making you all worry,"

Something tugged him on the side of his shirt. Curious, Hanks turned around and smiled when he saw the small redhead girl look back at him with worried eyes. "Are you going to be alright, Grandfather?"

Behind her stood a smaller boy, who popped out his head and said, "…Are you hungry? Do you need food?"

At the mention of food, the eldest of the children came over and flashed him a smile. "Or maybe a story?" She suggested, "Would you like that, grandpa?"

Hanks stayed silent as he keenly observed the young trio before him. "No, thank you," He politely declined the offer, mustering a tiny grin.

Slowly, he veered his attention to the newborn tucked in the princess's arms and softly asked if he could hold her.

Smiling sweetly, Estelle happily obliged as she rose up and walked over to his side. Ever so carefully, and with the help of Yuri who was across from the bed, the baby girl was able to cuddle up into his arms.

At the sight of his fourth grandchild, Hanks chuckled. "What a beautiful girl," He commented, "Does she have a name?"

Estelle nodded. "Anneliese," She confirmed for her before looking up to meet her husband's gaze. "Ann, for short,"

"A lovely name…for a lovely girl," Hanks went on, reaching out to brush away the strands of her hair and poking her lightly on the nose. "She'll definitely grow up…to be a darling woman just like her mother and a warrior like her father…"

As he said those words, he inhaled another deep breath. "Here you go, dear," He said to the princess who graciously accepted the small bundle. "You be sure to raise her as wonderfully as you did with the other two…And take care of your husband—he may be a brat but his heart is full of gold,"

Estelle nodded, tears brimming in her eyes. "I-I will…" She croaked. "I owe so much to you…all your advice and your stories, I will do my best to honor them,"

"My dear, I should be the one owing you," He replied back to which Estelle choked in her tears. "Thank you for loving my son,"

Estelle smiled as she leaned forward to peck him on the cheek. Afterward, she gracefully bowed her head before dismissing herself. As she walked away, she paused midway as she turned back to silently gesture for the children over and follow her out the door.

Sarah and Owain nodded, though leaned in and pecked their grandfather on the cheek before rushing off to join the pink-haired woman.

Eve remained in her spot and stood firmly. "Grandpa…"

Hanks cracked a smile and reached out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "You are such an angel, you know that?" He muttered, pulling her forward to peck her on the temple. "Always keep smiling—and never lose that cheerful demeanor of yours,"

Then, he turned to Repede who gave him an intense stare.

"Be a good boy and take care of everyone for me, you hear?"

The blue dog nodded, leaning in to nuzzle his wet nose against the old man's cheek before retreating back a few steps and replying back with a loud bark. And just like that, Repede walked away, though sprawled down across the floor and keenly observed the somber scene before him.

Then, he turned to Flynn who looked back at him with glassy eyes.

"Flynn," Hanks addressed the knight, "I am so proud of what you've become. Your mother and father…they'll be so happy to see you where you are and who you are now—you and Yuri…the both of you are truly the hope of this town and the heroes that Terca Lumireis truly deserves. Continue to strive for excellence, always be friendly and kind to all…but don't overstress yourself, okay? I wouldn't want you to start growing white hairs like me,"

As he heard those words, Flynn nodded with the tears already flowing down his rosy cheeks. "Okay," He responded, his voice cracking. "I will, Hanks…and thank you for everything,"

And then finally, Hanks turned to the person that he wanted to see the most—Yuri.

"Yuri…"

"Hanks," The swordsman began, clutching tightly on the latter's other hand as hard as he could. "Please, don't do this…"

"Yuri," Hanks repeated, this time softer. "Words cannot describe how much Jiri and I were happy to have you in our lives…you've always been such a troublesome child, always wayward and indecisive during your teenage years, and even then, you remained uncertain as an adult…idly sitting near the window, thinking about what might've been. But look at you. Look at what you've become—now you've become a fine man and a working father…a secretly good one that just needed someone to show him the way." He heaved another deep breath. "And now, I no longer need to worry because you're gonna be okay—you're not alone anymore, Yuri. You have friends and a family to call your own. You did it, my boy," He congratulated the latter as he chuckled, "You finally did…and I'm so proud of you,"

Refusing to cry right then and there, all Yuri could do was say his foster father's name. But as he was about to do so, he stopped himself, bit his lip and then finally settled with saying, "…Dad,"

Upon hearing the new honorific, Hanks widened his grin. "We ain't blood, but you, Yuri…you were as close to a son as I would ever have…" And then turned back to face Flynn and continued, "And the same goes for you too, Flynn…"

Now that that was said and done, Hanks looked on to face the ceiling and smiled in content. "This old man…will finally rest in peace, knowing that his two sons have a bright future…" Inhaling another deep breath, he turned his fixation on Yuri and mustered a smile. "I'll be sure to reserve ya a seat up there,"

Yuri remained silent and slowly nodded in response. "Thank you for everything, Dad,"

Filled with joy, Hanks smiled. "No, thank you…" He responded back, with the light slowly fading away in his eyes. "For giving me a chance…to be…your…father…"

Both brothers closed their eyes as they lowered their gazes to the cold hands that they were gripping so tightly.

Everything was silent.

Everything felt dull.

Everything felt empty.

And yet—

"Daddy?"

Slowly, Yuri peered up to face his daughter who looked back at him with worrisome eyes. "Daddy," She began and then reached out to brush his slightly red cheeks. "Why are you crying?"

Hearing this, the dark-haired man quickly pulled her into his embrace, clutching her tightly as if his life depended on it. After years and years of holding in his emotions, he finally exploded, tears flooding down his cheeks as he tried to process what had happened a few minutes ago.

Even so, Eve remained still before looking over her shoulder.

From where she stood, she noticed her Uncle in a similar position as her father, except he was slouching further until his nose reached the floorboards, his crying echoing throughout the dimly lit room.

Not understanding what was going on, she looked back at her father who had buried his face over her shoulder, tightening his grip around her small waist.

Eve couldn't understand it…but something inside her wanted to scream too, but she didn't know why.

"Daddy…" She began, her eyes becoming glossy, "Please, don't cry. Because then…"

It was already too late.

Like the others, Eve also submitted to her defeat and cried as well.

* * *

30th of December.

A day filled with emotions—a day that intertwined with life and death.

The birth of a third Lowell child—with baby Anneliese opening her eyes to the world that was ready to welcome her and shower her with everything that life had to offer her.

And later that night, old man Hanks closed his eyes to the world that he knew as he had succumbed to his death…only to be reunited seconds later in a field of flowers with two familiar faces present to welcome him home.

* * *

 **This is it-the final stretch-well, there's the epilogue after this which would be published sometime this week)**

 **But anyway! Here is the supposed part 2 of chapter 9**

 **As you read further, you'll begin to understand why I decided to split them up (as foreshadowed by the ending sentence of the previous chapter, the change of mood is going to differ)**

 **All I can say is...just prepare yourself and feel free to weep!**

 **And the background for the title? - if you can, please listen to the song! Thank you!**

 **And here, we finish the end of chapter nine and ten!**

 **Now, I bet you feel miserable over this...fear not, the epilogue will help ease the fresh wound (unfortunately, I won't update the epilogue until later this week-before the weekend, hopefully)**

 **But overall, what do you think?**

 **It really took alot out of me, especially with the large speech that Hanks gave to Yuri.**

 **But in the end, it was worth it (though the ending was unplanned and I ended up crying midway)**

 **Thank you again for the unconditional support and comments!**

 **Feel free to comment down below on what you think! (I'm open and eager to hear your opinions and your criticisms!) and in the A03 community, leave kudos if you'd like!**

 **Until then, please wait patiently for the epilogue later this week!**

 **Thank you one and all!**

 **Until then!**


	11. Epilogue: Second Star to the Right

**Thank you so much for your patience. Here it is, the final installation of Father and Son-the epilogue.**

 **Unfortunately, I'm not going to explain the last title right now and would do so in the end (once you've finished).**

 **Before we begin, I would like to express my utmost gratitude for the tons of support that all of you have given me this entire month. What was supposed to be a one-shot had quickly escalated into something much more and into one of my favorite fanfiction that I've ever written.**

 **So, please take a moment to applaud yourself for going this far and thank you so much for everything!**

 **Now, this epilogue would be quite a surprise for me especially as I managed to write 11,000 words (32-33 pages in total) which happen to be the LONGEST chapter for this fiction to date.**

 **I personally don't want to say goodbye to the characters and to give them an appropriate goodbye, I did whatever I could to make this chapter as long as possible.**

 **Alright, I must be tiring you.**

 **Now, begin and dive in! I'll see you at the end!**

* * *

It rained the following day.

And shortly after came the next. In the eve of the afternoon, there was the funeral—located inside of the town hall building.

As expected, every single member of the community in the Lower Quarter, member of Brave Vesperia, the Schwann Brigade, and even His Highness Ioder who became closely acquainted with him (as he was Yuri and Flynn's foster father, and Estellise's legitimate father-in-law, the young emperor saw the bearded man as a relative as well)—all showed up to bid one last farewell.

Through Ioder and Flynn, they instructed the Imperial Knights to raise the flag half-mast on behalf of the ceremony (when his nieces and nephew were born, they raised the flag at the highest peak in honor of their birth).

Within the large room, the two brothers sat quietly in the first row, surrounded by their found family, friends, and children who supported and comforted them. In the first few minutes of the ceremony, both remained quiet yet resilient.

Wanting to be their source of comfort, Estelle sat in-between them, her hands placed on top to her husband's left and her close friend's right, which both responded back by squeezing hers back tightly. Repede and his pups remained with the children who were under the supervision of Ted, Karol, and Patty.

As for baby Ann, she was being taken care of by Judith and Marie. Behind them were Ioder and Raven who sat next to LeBlanc, Adecor, and Boccos—their expressions somber and arms crossed as their eyes were directed at the casket displayed before them.

Here they were, gathered together and united as one—to commemorate a dearly beloved old man who laid comfortably, with his hands collected together, his glasses folded beneath them, and donned his trademark orange shirt and brown vest. His wrinkly face was serene and peaceful, with his eyes closed and his lips formed in a straight, thin line. To those who were closest to him, they could've sworn that it was slightly crinkled—almost like a faint smile as if to assure them that all was well.

About twenty to thirty minutes passed before Flynn rose from his seat and strolled over to the wooden podium stationed in front of the coffin.

Upon sighting her father, the young redhead sprang to her feet and hurriedly rushed forward, halting briefly in her steps as she proceeded to climb up the small staircase before heading over to the latter.

Once Flynn stood before the podium, he felt something lightly tugging him on his sleeve. He lowered his gaze, his expression softening when he noticed that his daughter was there with him, her bright blue eyes staring back at him in assurance. Smiling softly, he brought his hand to take hers and fiercely squeezed it.

Motioning his head, he fixated his attention to his audience. From the corner of his eye, he noticed Yuri, who slowly lifted his chin to lock eyes with him. Clearing his throat, Flynn projected his voice as loud as he could, "Thank you all for attending. I'm sure that everyone is here for the same reason, that we are all here to say goodbye to a special person," He paused midway as he swallowed thickly. "A person whose touched every single heart here in this room, a person who's always been such a gentle soul and has bestowed us all with something so rare—a second chance."

"Hanks took on the role as my father not long after my biological parents have passed away, leaving me with not much but the clothes on my back. Hanks and his wife Jiri welcomed me into their home where I met my childhood best friend and brother, Yuri. We've had our rough days, always fighting and whatnot. We've got in trouble, get grounded, get quite an earful lecture from the two of them…" As Flynn said those words, a burst of light chuckles erupted within the audience.

Hearing this, the young Commandant felt at east and became more confident with delivering his eulogy. "But no matter what, Hanks and Jiri would remind us that family is important and how essential it is for me and Yuri, and for all of us to embrace it as we continue on our journey,"

He snuck a glance over to Sarah who looked back at him with a smile on her face. "Family…it's what ties us together, what keeps us together, which is why we are here right now—because of Hanks, we have each other. And it's because of him, that we are closer and stronger than ever. And I can't help but feel thankful for what life has to offer for me. Here I am now, standing before you, a single father dedicated to doing what he can to assist his daughter and guide her to a promising future—the same way that Hanks has done for Yuri and I,"

"Hanks may be gone but he will definitely not be forgotten. He's still here with us," Flynn declared and with his other hand, brought it across the upper left part of his chest, where his heart was located. "He's alive inside and from up above, watching down on us and smiling…probably cackling away as he knows that this is probably a big waste of time,"

Another wave of laughter ensued.

"The pieces of advice, the laughs, the smiles, the struggles, and the many sacrifices that Hanks has done for all of us over the past few years—we must never forget them. Always willing to share what he has and not wanting anything in return, always humble and never conceited, just a happy old man appreciating what life has given him. An excellent role model, a friend, and brother to all, a mentor and a committed mayor in the Lower Quarter, a father to Yuri and I, and a grandfather to Sarah, Genevieve, Owain, and now, with Anneliese…"

Turning around, Flynn faced the open casket and with a bitter smile, muttered the last few words to his speech, "Thank you for everything that you've done for us, Hanks. Rest in peace and we hope that you have a safe journey to the afterlife, where you'll be reunited with Jiri once more…" And just like that, Flynn moved his head to direct his gaze to the crowd and bowed his head with Sarah stepping in and following his example.

There was a brief moment of silence until his ears picked up the sound of applause and cheers.

Grinning, Flynn excused himself from the podium and with Sarah at his side, made his way over to his seat next to the princess and the swordsman. Once he sat down comfortably, he proceeded to take his daughter into his arms, hoisting her up a little before putting her down on his lap which she instinctively laid her head back to the crook of his neck and sighed heavily.

Flynn bit his lower lip, keeping Sarah close to his arms and exhaling in content.

"That was lovely, Flynn," Estelle commented, catching his attention.

Turning to look at the female next to him, the knight nodded along and mustered a soft, "Thank you," Slanting his head to the side, Flynn took notice of the brooding dark-haired man who seemed to be preoccupied with his thoughts. Sensing this right away, he frowned.

Not long after Flynn, Estelle was next—conveying her many thanks to Hanks and recalling the stories that they've shared together during their spare time, all of which were widely appreciated by the general audience.

Then, there was LeBlanc and his subordinates who surprisingly stepped forth to once again, express their gratitude and to reveal to Yuri, Flynn, and Brave Vesperia of their change of hearts and that if it wasn't for Hanks who accepted them wholeheartedly, they wouldn't be standing where they are now.

Afterward, there was Marie, then Ted, a few elders, men, and women…almost the majority of the community of the Lower Quarter came up and evoked their accounts regarding the old man, all except Yuri who sat quietly in his seat, his head lowered and his hands shaped into fists across his lap.

"Yuri,"

The swordsman turned to the direction of the voice and was met face-to-face with his foster brother. He quirked his eyebrow with interest.

"Your turn," Flynn said softly.

All Yuri could do was stare at him apathetically, causing the latter to deepen his frown. With the shake of his head, Flynn proceeded to stand up from his seat and declared to everyone in the room, "Thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings. Let's head now for the burial site—where Jiri awaits,"

* * *

The trek to the cemetery grounds was simple and short.

And yet, for Yuri and the others, the road to get there felt extensive and agonizing. Together, the men carried the coffin out of the town hall building and into the open space of the public square. Yuri and Flynn were at the front, their arms carefully supporting the box while Karol and Ted were situated in the middle and LeBlanc and Raven at the end to back them up.

Estelle, Rita, and Ioder followed suit with the children, Repede and his pups trailing after him. Next came Judith, Patty, and Marie who joined the march with Adecor and Boccos assisting the elderly as usual.

For Yuri and Flynn, such a moment sparked a feeling of nostalgia—of the pain in their backs and the grim looks they were forced to put on as they boldly advanced forward. The situation they were in reminded them of a certain Captain of theirs when they used to be rookie knights, and though they didn't spend as much time with him compared to their foster father, there was no doubt that he grew on them.

A few minutes passed and they finally reached their destination—the graveyard site beyond the walls of the city and into the flat grasslands of the outside world.

Fortunately, there wasn't any monster in sight as they continued to wander through the field.

When Yuri and Flynn recognized the two tombstones overhead, they slowed down their pace. Once they were in close proximity to the large rectangular shaped hole, they abruptly stopped. Seconds later, so did the entire crowd.

Ever so carefully, the brothers and their friends lowered their arms, wary to not exert too much pressure as the casket descended deeper into the hole. Once that was finished, everyone came over with flowers in their hands and one by one, began showering the surface of the large box with a beautiful array of white cut flowers—white roses, orchids, and irises.

Once that was over, the next step was to scatter the dirt and properly bury the casket. The able men and women came to finish the job, and after a few more minutes, the deed was done.

Everyone stood there, their heads bowed and their hands collected together as they silently prayed to the spirits for the dearly departed a safe journey in the afterlife.

About an hour or so passed and the crowd eventually diminished in numbers with Ioder and the Schwann Brigade being one of the first to leave as they needed to tend to their royal and knightly duties.

Some of the community, including Marie and Ted, came next—excusing themselves to leave the trio and the dog alone. As for the members of Brave Vesperia, they stayed for a good long while before leaving with the children as some of them complained about being hungry and sleepy throughout the memorial service.

Another hour passed and Flynn left to go and help the Lower Quarter who were currently in mourning—leaving Estelle to comfort her husband and Repede who remained with his owner.

Two hours flew by and the pink-haired woman had no choice but to leave as she needed to make sure that their children and the others were alright. As she pecked her husband on the forehead and assured him that she'll come back shortly, she was surprised to find Repede tagging along with her. With a faint smile, she headed ahead, though paused briefly in her steps to stop and peer over her shoulder, her gaze on her husband who sat across the tombstone of her father-in-law.

Overwhelmed with emotions, Estelle inhaled another deep breath and pressed forward. Taking sight of her distress, Repede silently followed after her.

* * *

Now alone, Yuri released the breath that he'd been holding in. Raising his chin, he gazed his eyes intently at the tombstone before him.

There, on the surface of the granite surface were the words:

 **IN LOVING MEMORY OF HANKS**

 **A FATHER, A TEACHER, AND ABOVE ALL—A SPECIAL PERSON WITH THE GIFT TO TOUCH PEOPLE'S HEARTS AND SOULS**

 **R.I.P**

 **GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN**

The message engraved on the tombstone, albeit a bit over the top, was originally a gift commissioned by His Highness Ioder and Flynn who insisted that they should be the ones to help fund the entire memorial service.

To their surprise, the members of the Lower Quarter refused their offer and proclaimed that they wanted to pitch in as well. For the very first time—the emperor, the Commandant, and the folks of the Lower Quarter collaborated and together, were able to get the tombstone and the particular location of where the burial was being prepared beforehand.

Recalling the memory of Flynn telling him such news made Yuri unconsciously grin.

"…You know that I'm not good with public speaking," He began, his voice soft. "And even if I did, I don't think I'd have the courage to say what I'm about to tell you in front of anyone." Taking a deep breath, Yuri finally initiated his speech. "You've seen me when I was vulnerable, you've been there when I needed guidance and you were always there, always supporting me in the sidelines or when I felt lost and unsure about what to do next. You were there, always smiling and encouraging and at times, a bit strict but in a good way…"

"I've always been a troublemaker, causing fights and making a scene. I've always been reckless, not caring about anyone's opinions and would rather do things my own way. I've always been comparing myself to Flynn—anything I can do; he can do it twice as better than I would."

Furrowing his eyebrows, Yuri shook his head. "As much as I kept refusing to admit it, deep down, I was pretty jealous of him, always getting the compliments by everyone else while I was overlooked and overshadowed by his heroic deeds and exploits. A troubled kid with a bad reputation and a long ass record of felonies…nobody wanted me and I knew that."

A memory resurfaced from the back of his mind and upon remembering a certain bearded man, Yuri couldn't help but smile. "But you? You accepted me even when I revealed to you about everything—how tainted my hands were of blood, how I didn't seem to care about the monster that I was slowly becoming…knowing that what I did was the right thing satisfied me and before I knew it, I was pointing my sword to the innocent, even Estelle…"

"I didn't know what to do or what I should do…but I knew that no matter what, I needed—no, I wanted to save her. And I did and it was thanks to your words that I managed to overcome my fears. And because of that, I went on to save more people…when the Adephagos came, my first thought was of you and the community and I knew that I had to do whatever I can in my power to protect all of you, even if I had to commit more sins again…"

Taking a moment to collect himself, Yuri continued with, "But we did it—we saved the world. And the dawn of a new age without blastia began. My journey for self-discovery began when you gave me the push to leave the Lower Quarter. It was difficult at first but over time, I managed to find people who would accept me for who I was regardless of my background, the crimes that I've made, and the rumors spreading about me. And now, I've made friends and found a family, a home to call my own—connections that would last a lifetime. Yet, I kept going, kept pursuing with no knowledge of what might happen next and before I knew it, I fell in love."

"Estelle and I bonded as we fought against our fears, struggled when hope was lost, relied and encouraged each other to find our respective places in this world—the three-year journey that we had together, even after the Adephagos opened a new door for us and from there, we embarked on another adventure—an adventure that you held all the knowledge of—Parenthood."

As Yuri took a moment to breathe in, he closed his eyes and pressed further with, "Eve was the greatest thing that ever happened to us. And it wasn't until I realized that I was a dad that I was beginning to receive the same struggles and feelings that you've had and endured these past years. But you were always so patient, always willing to listen and to assist when we had trouble with our little brat during the first few months. You were there, watching us from a distance, with that dumb smile on your face…"

"Once we got a hang of Eve, Estelle and I talked it over and agreed that we wanted a bigger family. Owain came next and this time, we got a hang of balancing two of our brats." He let out a forced laughter. "But of course, more problems came up, problems that we still weren't familiar of and as always, you'd be there to come over and guide us, showed us what to do and what not to do—how to properly be a good parent. And that's when I realized…when you and Jiri took me in, the two of you never had anyone to show you the ropes. You probably had more trouble with me compared to what Estelle and I have been through. But look what came out of it and…look at where I am."

"You really have touched so many lives…and inspired a lot of us in a positive light. I mean, take Flynn for example. He adopted Sarah on the spot—claiming that he did it because you did the same to him and I. And that's crazy to think, how something like raising a child could bring so many wonders. Flynn and Estelle, even some of our friends have noticed that I'm becoming more relaxed compared to a few years ago—back then, I was lost and wasn't sure about what I wanted to do."

Leaning back, Yuri sighed. "But now, I know. And I'm glad that I came this far to finally see the fruition of it," Reopening his eyes, he lowered his chin to face the tombstone once more. "I…don't feel as lost as I used to be. Now that I have my friends and my family, I feel like I can do anything."

Followed by those words, Yuri inserted his hand into the pocket of his hands before pulling it out to reveal a small knife. Unsheathing the small blade, he took a fistful of his long, dark mane and stared back at the tombstone. With a smile, he proceeded to slash the blade in one swift motion.

He allowed the silence to settle in, his eyes fixed on the abundance of his ink, black hair that he gripped tightly with his left. And on his right, was the small knife. A sudden gale passed through, coming over and causing the swordsman to shiver in place.

The cold wind tickling behind his now exposed neck felt refreshing to him, widening his grin.

Pocketing the knife inside, Yuri stood up on his feet and with his hand still gripping on the long strands of hair, he slowly uncoiled his fist—allowing the strays of his hair to fly away, as one with the wind. Feeling satisfied with what he'd done, Yuri looked over his shoulder.

Setting his hand on his hip and producing an impish grin, he said, "New hairdo, new me, right?"

With a final wave, the dark-haired man walked away, feeling rejuvenated and ready to reunite with his friends and family.

* * *

The minute Yuri entered the Lower Quarter, all eyes widened and all mouths dropped. They couldn't believe what they were seeing. This person before them, it couldn't be—

"Yuri?" The tall and youthful leader of their guild cried as he cautiously approached the latter. "Is that you?"

Hearing this, Yuri gave him a weird look. "Course, it's me," He confirmed, quirking his eyebrow. "Why, you don't recognize me anymore?"

Karol opened his mouth to protest, only to get beaten by another voice.

"Yuri!" Another exclaimed, this time belonging to the young pirate woman who joined in. Her long braids were no more as she allowed her golden locks to cascade beautifully down her back. "Your hair! What in spirits name happened to you?"

Yuri rolled his eyes. "Come on guys," He drawled out, waving his hand dismissively. "So you can have a haircut and I don't?"

Both Karol and Patty exchanged worrisome looks.

It was true—about a couple of months ago, most of the members of Brave Vesperia, excluding Yuri and Repede was beginning to change a few their appearances, beginning with their hair.

Now at the age of twenty-five, Rita grew taller though not as much as she would've wanted in comparison to Karol's large growth spurt when he turned sixteen. With her hair reaching down to her middle portion of her back, she thought it'd be best to start using a hair clip to reinforce it—an effective yet simplistic way for her to use while experimenting her inventions in the laboratory.

As for Judith, it happened when she went a bit too far with one of her missions. To protect Seliph who happened to be there to accompany her, she had no choice but to sacrifice a large portion of her hair. When her friends found out about it, Estelle was the first to suggest a proper trim to which the female lancer agreed and was left with a pixie cut—a hairstyle that she personally claimed quite suited her taste, accentuating her antennae very well and heightening her enticing appearance.

Patty and Estelle both grew out their hair and allowed it to grow naturally on their backs.

For Karol, he used his hair gel to let the large tuft of his brown hair get swept back, which allowed him to get a few heads to turn, including a certain brown-haired companion of his.

And then there was Raven, who went ahead and decided to remove his ponytail, and after a few cuts, managed to get a proper trimming of a style that suited him—a combination of a style that he used to have during his youth and of what Schwann was renowned for.

Surprisingly, there was even Flynn who was beginning to grow his hair as evident to sporting a short low ponytail recently.

"No, it's a good thing…" Karol trailed off, furrowing his eyebrows as he tried to choose the proper words to say next. "But, well, it's just…"

"We've always seen you with long hair," Patty pointed out, "And now…you look so average,"

Shaking his head, Yuri smiled. "Well, I like it. It's a good change," He admitted, bringing his hand behind and letting his fingers touch the ends of the hair. "I get to start all over again, you know?" Despite not having a mirror, he could tell that he cut most of the lower portion, which meant that it was up to at least his neck—almost similar to the hairstyle that his wife was renowned for during her youth.

"Yuri?"

Yuri smiled and turned around.

On cue, there she was—the princess maneuvering her way through the crowd and her eyes slightly widening at the sight of her husband's new look. As she closed the distance between them, she reached out to brush her hand over his cheek. "Yuri, what happened?" She asked in a soft, gentle tone.

The swordsman said nothing and tipped his head to relish her warmth, bringing his hand to place it over hers before leaning forward to peck her on the temple. "There's nothing to worry about," He assured her and with his other hand, began to stroke her long pink hair from behind. "But hey, least we match now, huh?" And grinned widely.

Registering his words, Estelle caught on and giggled. Going on her tip-toes, she narrowed her eyes as she went on to take a good look at his hair. "Hmm…"

"What's wrong?"

"Some of the ends look a bit uneven," She replied as she lowered her hand back to her side. And then a thought occurred to her and she smiled. "Patty!" Estelle addressed the pirate woman who looked back at her with curiosity. "Can you ask Marie for a pair of scissors?"

Beaming, Patty exclaimed with a loud, "Aye!" And then ran to the direction of the public inn.

"Where's Eve and the kids?" Yuri brought up, causing his wife and Karol to glance at him.

"She's at the inn with the others eating lunch," Estelle answered for him. "Would you like to join them?"

Ruminating through his thoughts, the dark-haired man nodded and smiled. "That'll be nice,"

Estelle flashed a grin in return. Taking his hand with hers, they began to head over to the public inn. About a few steps in and they stopped as they found Karol chasing after them.

"Wait, Yuri!" Karol exclaimed, stopping abruptly as he was about a few meters away from the married couple. When he saw their questionable looks, he took the opportunity to speak up. "I just wanna let you know that we won't have guild duties for about a week. That way, we'll spend some time with everyone. Sound good?"

Yuri nodded. "I like the sound of it," He agreed, cracking a smirk. "Nice one, boss,"

Karol sheepishly grinned. "Well, it's the least I can do," He replied back, bringing his hand over his head and scratching it. "Anyway, let's go! I wanna see the look on Raven and Rita's face when they see you!" And off he ran toward the direction of the inn.

Yuri and Estelle snuck glances at each other and shared a light-hearted laugh.

Unbeknownst to them, the people around them fondly watched them as they joined their hyperactive friend to the inn. Their mayor and dear member of their community of the Lower Quarter may be no longer with them but his legacy would live on—in their hearts and in the presence of his two sons: Yuri and Flynn.

Unsurprisingly, dramatic gasps and high-pitched squeals arose the second Yuri entered the interior of the inn. Rolling his eyes, he ignored the many eyes on him and focused his attention on his children who stared back at him with growing interest.

It didn't take long before the tense atmosphere eventually subsided and everyone was at peace.

Though it was strange to see the swordsman, who was easily recognizable for his long, dark mane to suddenly change his appearance in the blink of an eye—for some reason, it felt somewhat right. And they knew that the reason behind it was connected with his own way of coping with Hanks's passing. It was symbolic—for one to cut their hair as it was a universal sign to mourn for another.

From there, they knew that that must've been Yuri's intentions all along. With that in mind, they couldn't help but admire his bravery for sacrificing a piece of himself to get through something as difficult as this.

To his relief, Marie, Ted, his friends, and his found family were welcoming of his transformation—and though it was subtle, it was a change that they were more than happy to accept. Even Flynn, who shortly came back after finishing with what he had to do, was surprised yet didn't question about it as he was quick to understand the reasoning behind it.

* * *

Shortly after lunch and with a light trimming of hair by Estelle, Yuri and the others took it upon themselves to clean up the materialistic possessions that Hanks kept in his rundown house. Right away, everyone was given a specific role.

Judith and Rita were in charge of the living room while Patty was with Ted in the kitchen and dining room.

Raven and Karol held responsibility with the cabinets and leftover clothing.

Estelle and the children were in cleanup duty, along with Repede and his pups—together, and equipped with cleaning supplies, they dusted and brushed away the spider webs on the ceiling and the staircase.

Marie was given a pass as she nursed baby Ann from the sidelines, though would often come over and assist the others as much as she could.

Finally, there was Yuri and Flynn who took up the responsibility of their foster father's bedroom. And from there, they were hit with a treasure trove of memories from the past.

While rearranging the pillows, the knight was surprised to find a large pile of folded papers tucked inside one of the pillowcases. Looking through them, he realized that it was a collection of the letters that he'd written, beginning when he and Yuri were first admitted as rookie knights to the latest one, where he addressed his personal concerns of being a father for the very first time.

They were old and a bit worn-out but the inscribed writing was still intact. And that's when Flynn realized that Hanks, whenever he was alone or was worried for him and Yuri, that he would often take the time rereading the letters over and over until he was satisfied.

Such a thought was enough to make him feel warm inside.

"After all this time…" He whispered to himself, gathering the letters together and bringing them close to his chest. "You were looking out for us…"

As Flynn was immersed with his letters, Yuri was on the other side removing the heaps of boxes under the bed. Sliding one of them out, his eyes slightly widened as he caught sight of tiny square-shaped prints neatly arranged together.

Curiosity got the better of him as the swordsman extended his arm out to grab a few of them. Settling himself on the ground with one leg crossed and the other raised, Yuri lowered his gaze to study the photos.

The first one was of him and Flynn with Hanks and Jiri—all huddled together to take a picture. Slowly, a memory resurfaced from the back of his mind and before he knew it, Yuri found himself diving back into reminiscing on that particular day of the photo shoot.

It was about a few weeks when Flynn was welcomed into the family and much to Yuri's dismay, Jiri and Hanks insisted that they needed to commemorate the occasion by taking a picture.

" _Do we really have to?"_

 _"If you wanna be a part of this family, then yes," Hanks asserted, followed by a light chuckle. When he caught sight of the young boy crossing his arms and making a pouty look, all he could do was shake his head. "Whether ya like it or not, Yuri, we gotta have to take the picture,"_

 _Before Yuri could protest, Jiri called them over._

 _"The cameraman is here!" She cried, waving them to come forth. "Hurry, he doesn't have a lot of time!" Next to her was Flynn who seemed troubled as he stared at the large man with a brown hat walking over to them with a strange-looking small box equipped in his hands._

 _Taking note of the excitement laced in his wife's words, a pleased smile graced along the bearded man's lips. "That's us," He began, gaining the latter's attention. Turning around, he stretched his hand outward and in a soft tone, he said, "Come on, Yuri, let's go!"_

 _The boy veered his gaze at the hand being offered to him. He then snuck a glance over to his foster mother, then at his foster brother, until finally landing his fixation on his foster father who looked back at him with a twinkle in his eye._

 _After much consideration, Yuri heaved a sigh. "Fine…." And jumping from the large crate, took hold of the latter's wrinkly hand and gripped it._

 _Hanks smiled. "That's my boy,"_

 _Twisting his heel, he strolled onward—together, hand-in-hand._

With the shake of his head, Yuri tucked the photo behind the small pile and not long after, fixed his attention to the next one displayed before him.

This time, it was of him and Flynn holding the sword—the very first one that they bought together with their allowance. He remembered how heavy it was to carry it even with both hands and so, after much negotiation, he and his childhood friend agreed to carry the weapon—with Flynn gripping the right side of the handle with two of his hands with Yuri mimicking the same gesture on the corresponding right.

Despite their awkward battle poses—from the way how their feet were placed on the ground as a result of their internal struggle to keep the sword high above their heads, it was the valiant expressions that they wore: furrowed eyebrows, their eyes directed in on the silver blade which held their reflections and large, confident smiles that they wore that made the picture worth it.

Another memory resurfaced, and with it, came the assuring voice of a certain bearded man.

" _What's that you got there?"_

 _Both boys turned to look at each other, grinned brightly, before facing their foster father once more._

" _It's a sword!" Yuri declared quite proudly._

" _We got it from a traveling merchant!" Flynn explained, his voice equally excited as the latter, "He said that if we bought it, we're going to be knights!"_

 _Hanks chuckled, followed by the shake of his head. "You don't say?" Collecting his hands together and bringing them behind his back, he continued. "Are ya planning to share it?"_

 _As soon as he said those words, Yuri and Flynn looked at each other with widened eyes. The sudden tension between the two was expected, though Hanks couldn't help but sigh when he realized that he must've accidentally triggered them to start lashing out at each other._

" _I'm going to use it first!" Flynn cried all of a sudden._

 _Yuri clenched his teeth. "No, it's me!"_

 _Heaving a deep breath, Hanks called out their names. Once he got their attention, he cleared his throat and said, "There's no need to fight. What did I tell you about sharing, eh?"_

" _That sharing is…caring?" Yuri spoke up, sounding uncertain._

" _It's a good concept of being humble?" Flynn joined in, stepping in._

 _Hanks pursed his lips before nodding. "Well, that's sort of the gist of it…but really," Crouching down to their level, he brought his hands and planted them on top of their heads. "You must always remember—that we all must make a living by what we get and that we make a life by what we give. To live in this world and survive, it takes both sides to build a bridge and it begins with an act of kindness,"_

 _Smiling, he proceeded to ruffle their hairs affectionately. "Never forget—that you are brothers, a team. The two of you are gonna be supporting each other from then on. If one strays away from the path they've chosen, then the other must be the one to remind them and guide them back. Even if it means having to do so behind the scenes, you must always have one another's backs. Ya got that?"_

" _To share means to give and to give, well…there's a chance that you may or may not receive something in return," As Hanks continued, his eyes softened. "Even if that happens, always keep your head high and do what you can to continue giving."_

 _Yuri crinkled his nose. "Even if they don't accept us?"_

 _Hanks nodded. "That's right," He affirmed, "But you should know, that no matter what, I'm always here to accept you both,"_

 _The two boys turned to glance at each other, smiled again before dropping the sword to tackle the bearded man. Surprised by this, Hanks found himself falling to the ground and though his back ached, he couldn't help but let out a burst of laughter._

 _Seconds later, Yuri and Flynn joined in._

Yuri sighed as he allowed that particular memory to sink back inside and once he managed to compose himself, reverted his attention back to the photos laid before him on his lap.

* * *

Next was a series of birthdays—starting with his as he was surrounded by Flynn, Hanks, Jiri, and a younger version of Marie the innkeeper and some of the elder folks, men, and women in the background. As usual, there was strawberry shortcake present. Following after came Flynn's—though unlike Yuri's, this one had the trio as well as those who were present for the party, to be coated with icings and splotches of vanilla bean cake. At the center was Yuri and Flynn, their arms snaked on one another's exposed necks and behind them were the loving gazes of their foster parents.

One after another, more pictures of their birthdays, of them, regularly sparring in the public square (often times with sticks and stones), of them attending the public elementary school with backpacks in tow, of their first yet brief family vacation which consisted of roaming the Public Quarter with ice creams and conversing with one another, of Yuri proudly showing off his first batches of pancakes and then the next being Flynn doing the same though with the latter was in the background wearing a displeased expression on his face.

After two more photos, Yuri reached the time when he and Flynn were teenagers—both wielding the same sword that they first bought when they were little, this time with confident as they showed the weapon off as they supported it with one hand each gripping their respective side, him on the left and Flynn on the right. There were a few more delightful photos of him, Flynn, and their foster parents together…and then the picture of Jiri's funeral showed up.

Yuri's eyes narrowed as he silently gazed at the rather dull photo—of him, Flynn, and Hanks standing in front of the casket of their deceased foster mother, their expressions grave and with no hints of emotions. Standing in-between the two teenagers and holding Jiri's portrait was none other than Hanks, who couldn't seem to look at the camera as he hung his head in mourning.

Yuri remembered that day as it happened to be a few days after he turned seventeen. She had a stroke and with no doctors around, they were left with no choice but to depend on the limited medical supplies that they had in their possessions. The entire community banded together as one, hoping to help the poor woman but in the end…

He inhaled a sharp breath as he took the photo and slipped it behind the collection, refusing to allow the memory of him bawling by himself, behind the large crates shortly after they were dismissed from the room that kept his foster mother's dead corpse. And as expected, Hanks was there who saw him in such a state and to his surprise, the bearded man embraced him as tightly as he could and allowed him to cry his heart out as he, too crumbled down and eventually succumbed to his defeat.

Luckily, Flynn wasn't there to see it though it was later revealed by Marie, who had seen him run off to the outskirts of the city to slash some of the nearby monsters in a fit of anger, only to return back shortly after, sinking to his knees midway in his tracks and sobbed aloud. If it weren't for Marie who had been there to support him, the blonde man could've slept on the staircase and would've gotten sick as the following day heavily rained—as if, the heavens knew of the pain and grieve that the foster father and sons were currently experiencing.

Unlike the other pictures, this one was framed—it had of Yuri and Flynn wearing their Imperial Knights uniforms, their expressions serious and concentrated as they prepared themselves for the photoshoot. Yuri remembered how stiff and uncomfortable he felt about the whole ordeal.

After that, there was a series of him caring for Repede when he was only a mere pup—holding him as he fell asleep, the same way that he would carry his newborn children with one arm over the form of the small bundle while the other protectively behind their head.

Following a major time skip in regards to him and his two-year-old journey, the one that he held in his hands was of him, Estelle, Repede, Hanks, Ted, Marie, and the children posing behind the public well and the manual pump that were recently installed—a symbol of new changes for what was to come in the future.

Yuri unconsciously smiled as more of the pictures were gradually transitioning into that of the present time—there was one of Estelle, Hanks, Marie, Ted, and the children gathered together with wide smiles on their faces as they each possessed the same purple book—Tales of Vesperia, the acclaimed novel which the princess had written and become a global sensation.

Next came Flynn donning his new Commandant suit and like the previous photo, was huddled together with the members of the community and as always, Hanks was there at the center, grinning proudly.

What followed after was of Hanks cradling their first child, Eve who appeared to be trying to stuff her tiny fingers inside his nostrils. At the sight of the picture, Yuri inwardly chuckled as he suddenly recalled Ted getting a hold of a camera that he managed to save up on and insisted that he should be the one to take pictures for then on.

And for the next consecutive photos, the majority of it consisted of the happy couple—of them posing in front of their house in Halure, of Hanks and the community surrounding Estelle, Yuri, and Brave Vesperia as they congratulated them upon hearing of her pregnancy, of Yuri and Estelle sleeping on the couch during one of their breaks from their wedding plans, of Little Eve engaging herself with the others, of Repede and his pups waddling around as they chased after the crawling baby who was attempting to get out of the house, and of course, the promising day of Yuri and Estelle's wedding.

The gorgeous wedding venue, of Yuri and Estelle holding hands as they recited their wedding vows, the brawl that involved the Councilmen, guilds from Palestrae and Hunting Blades, and even to Brave Vesperia. Yuri laughed as one of the pictures managed to get a shot of him punching the living daylights out of a Councilman with Flynn doing the same thing afterward, with the rest of their found family scattered around and to their amazement, Kaufman, Natz, the Schwann Brigade and even Rich from the King of Adventure entered the fray moments later to join in the chaos.

Later that night, there was the banquet—and of course, there was a picture of the newly-wedded couple—now dressed in another set of clothes, Yuri wearing his True Knight outfit and Estelle in her beautiful blue dress, with their newborn, surrounded by friends, family, and Hanks at the center with another one of the dumbest smiles on his face.

Yuri closed his eyes, resisting the urge to laugh right then and there as he was caught by another wave of nostalgia—remembering how minutes after the picture was taken, there was a—

" _Heads up!"_

 _All eyes and ears were on high-alert as they watched the young leader of Brave Vesperia take a huge chunk of the lemon glazed wedding (there were two—the other one being strawberry shortcake) and threw it at a random person. Unknowingly, he had directed it toward the short mage who immediately got triggered._

" _OH, THAT IS IT!" Rita cried at the top of her lungs, and quickly looking around, took a plate filled with chicken and rice and tossed it back at the younger boy who screamed in a high-pitch wail and scurried off. As the short brunette chased after him, everyone else turned to each other bearing mischievous looks._

 _Covering her hands over her mouth, the little pirate girl bounced up and down as she exclaimed, "FOOD FIGHT!"_

 _And just like that—another brawl initiated._

 _Back and forth, every single person present in the banquet hall began tossing any available plates and beverages—all contributing to the catastrophe site. Yuri couldn't feel guilty as he was one of the first ones to get involved with Estelle and the members of their guild, including Flynn and Hanks banding together to go against Ted and Marie who were supported by the Schwann Brigade, Ioder, and even Kaufman._

 _As for the rest who kept to the sidelines like Teagle and his family, Karen and the castle staff, they remained far away from the chaos and watched, taking up the duty to take care of Little Eve while her eccentric parents, baby sitter, Uncles and Aunts were occupied with exploiting their shenanigans._

 _By the end of the night, everything was a mess—including the bride, the groom, and their guests, splattered and coated with cake, croquettes, salad dressing, vichyssoise, salisbury steak, pork stew, red and white wine and other alcoholic drinks._

And here it was—the picture that commemorated the disaster which showed Yuri, Estelle, Flynn, their family and friends, and Hanks standing around with his arms wrapped their chest as they released a burst of laughter, some throwing their head back and the others poking at each other and chasing around.

It was a night that was bound to be remembered to those who participated and for many years to come.

Following that came more photos, this time centering on the children.

There was Little Eve together with Sarah who recently became welcomed into their family—with Eve smiling brightly and Sarah frowning as she was rather uncomfortable with the attention. Holding them were their respective fathers, Yuri, and Flynn with Estelle and Hanks in-between them, grinning.

Another was of Owain who, this time, was held by Hanks. The two appeared to be wearing yellow and pink flower crowns which Eve and Sarah made specifically for them.

And then another—Owain, now two-years-old, together with the other children and his older sister—Eve, Sarah, and Seliph coming together and trying to make funny faces in front of the camera. Below their feet were Repede's pups—Lambert, Zephyr, and Lamia playfully accompanying them.

Yuri instantly recognized this as he remembered seeing a copy of it in their garrison at Dahngrest, assembled together by Karol who claimed that as their official base, it was also home to them and wanted to get a hold of the many pictures of his friends, family, his nieces and nephews to show them off to those who would enter their domain.

Looking through all of these, the swordsman was impressed by the dozens of pictures that Ted had done. It was no surprise that about a few weeks later after his sixteenth birthday, the green-haired teenager claimed that he wanted to pursue the path of a traveling photographer as he enjoyed having to capture the many smiles and laughter of everyone that he's met and knew. Smiling, he put the first pile of pictures inside the box before diving back in with another pile in his hands.

* * *

Unlike the other one which chronicled mostly of him, Flynn, Estelle, and the rest—this one, in particular, focused on their children.

The first one had Eve interacting with Ba'ul and her Aunt Judith as they soared through the skies.

Next came Owain looking at Raven in awe as he showed off his signature bow weapon and another of the boy being bestowed with a blue handkerchief by Karol which he now dons around his tiny neck.

And then one by one, the waves of happy memories erupted—with Seliph and Judith training in the grounds and the others cheering them on, Sarah practicing her salute with her father, the four children animatedly interacting with the Four Great Spirits, the four of them trying to bake a cake together with Yuri, listening and smiling as Estelle read them a story in the front yard of the house, of Karol lecturing them of monsters and how weapons work, of Rita babysitting them and being a surprisingly good aunt (making sure that they took their naps and would teach them how to dance), Patty teaching Seliph to steer the wheel of the Fiertia, Ioder giving them a tour of the whole Palace with Master Drake Dropwart and Sodia in tow…

And then finally, there was the final picture—of the four children happily being embraced by Hanks and encircling around them were the recognizable figures of Yuri, Estelle, Flynn, the members of Brave Vesperia, Ioder, Sodia, Witcher, Marie, and the Schwann Brigade.

Rubbing his eyes from exhaustion, Yuri let out a loud yawn. He then turned to look at the clock located on the nearby wall. He blinked, surprised to find out that he had been looking through the pictures for only fifteen minutes.

Shaking his head, he carefully put the heap of photos back into the box of memories. Taking the cover, he proceeded to put it on top of it—only to stop halfway. His eyes widened as he found something sticking out on the far corner of the box. Curious, he reached out to take a hold of it.

Upon acquiring it, Yuri's eyes slowly widened.

It was two pictures stuck together.

The first one in front of him was…

"Mom," Yuri softly muttered under his breath, completely stunned.

Indeed, it was—a woman with beautiful long, black hair with a rather large pregnancy bump, standing in-between the space of a younger version of Jiri and Hanks and behind them was the old fountain with the aque blastia, their faces filled with blissful content. Compared to the other pictures, this one, in particular, lacked color and instead, was filled with a brown filter.

Swallowing his saliva thickly, Yuri slowly flipped the other side of the picture.

The second he laid eyes on the other picture, his mouth slightly parted.

And there, displayed on the photo was of Hanks sprawled on the bed, holding tight of a baby boy…

Slowly, it dawned to him.

The baby that his foster father held…was that him?

As he veered his eyes downwards, Yuri noticed smears of black writing along the frame, which read—

 **Father and Son**

And under that message was a heart shape and the name of his foster mother, Jiri's signature accompanied after.

Suddenly, Yuri's ears picked up the sound of scrambling feet across the wooden flooring. Alarmed, he lowered the photo and peered upwards, beaming as he caught sight of his two children—Eve and Owain running toward him.

"Daddy!" Eve cried, approaching him with her arms open wide.

"Sis!" Owain chimed in, nearly tripping as he attempted to go after his sister. "W-wait up, please!"

Yuri grinned, opening his arms to welcome the two toddlers waddling over to him, bringing them in and inhaling their natural flowery scent.

Seconds later, Sarah and Seliph appeared.

"Eve!" Sarah cried, walking over to her Uncle and her cousins as she shot them a glare. "Come on, we need to get back! Auntie Estellise said that we're not finished cleaning yet!" At the sight of the swordsman, the young redhead blushed. "Oh, Uncle Yuri!"

Yuri gave her a wink. "Hey, Sare,"

Nodding and smiling, Sarah resorted to averting her gaze at her female cousin who continued to bury her face deeper into her father's tunic.

"Eve!"

Hearing her name, the short haired girl turned around and stuck out her tongue.

Sighing, the young Kriyan stepped up. "Eve, if you keep this up, you're gonna get us in trouble…" He expressed his concern, his eyebrows furrowed. "And you should know better—Aunt Estelle is passive-aggressive when it comes to scolding us."

"What's going on here?" Flynn spoke up, catching their attention.

"Oh, Flynn," Yuri addressed his foster brother as he rose up from the ground as he carried both of his children with him. "You finished with your section?"

The knight nodded. "You?"

Yuri half-shrugged. "You could say that,"

Processing his words, Flynn rolled his eyes. He then set his attention to his daughter who seemed to be cowering away and was hiding behind the male Kriyan. Concerned, he squatted to his knees and asked, "Sarah, what's wrong?"

The redhead mumbled a few words to herself, which caused his father to deepen his frown. "Sarah…"

While father and daughter (and with the help of Seliph) were engaged in their own private conversation, Yuri turned to face his two children in his arms who looked back at him with the same childlike wonder. He crinkled his lips to an assuring grin as they seemed to be having a strange fascination with his new hairstyle.

"Daddy?"

"Yeah, Eve?"

"Why did you have to cut your hair?" His little girl asked, sounding concerned. "Did something go wrong?"

Before Yuri could say something, Owain spoke up. "Are you okay?" He frowned as he shared the same worried look like his sister. "Do you want to talk about it, Daddy?"

Yuri was caught off-guard by their words. For some reason, they sounded like a certain old man.

"No, it's nothing…" He assured them, followed by a grin. Sitting down on the edge of the mattress, he released them from his hold and ushered them to lean in to which they silently obliged. "Look at this," And showed them the picture he held with one hand.

Eve blinked, tipping her head to the side. "Who's that with Grandpa?" She wondered aloud, pointing her tiny finger to who she was referring to.

"Is that sis?" Owain asked, nuzzling his cheek against his father's shoulder as he leaned in as well to speculate the photo.

Yuri simply smiled. "Actually, that's me,"

Both children froze and looked up to face their father.

"But you looked so small!" Eve expressed, which caused the latter to laugh. "You know, like our new sister!"

"How did you get so big, Daddy?" Owain voiced out his concern yet at the same time, interested. "Did you drink one of Auntie Rita's fixer elixirs?"

Again, Yuri laughed. From the corner of his eye, he noticed Flynn glancing at him with a sympathetic smile as he held Sarah in his arms and with Seliph standing next to him. He then turned to the open doorway where he noticed his wife poking her head out with a bright smile on her face and behind her, where the rest of the members of their found family and Marie carrying his third child.

"You could say that," Yuri commented, ignoring the short mage who was about to enter the room, ready to kick him in the ass only to get held back by her best friend and the female lancer.

"Daddy?"

This time, Yuri faced his son. "What's up, Owain?"

"When do we get to see Grandpa again?"

There was a moment of silence.

"…Daddy?" Owain repeated, his voice softer.

"We'll see him again," Yuri assured him, ruffling his hair affectionately and his eyes softening. "Right now, he's away on a journey…"

Grinning, Eve took this opportunity to speak her mind. "Can we visit him?"

To her dismay, her father shook his head.

"How come?"

"The place that he's going to, it's somewhere very far," Estelle began, catching their attention as she walked inside the room. Squatting to her knees, she held each of her children's tiny hands before peering up to face her husband. "But there are two ways to see him again if you wish for it,"

"Really?" Eve wondered, her eyes widening. "What is it, Mommy?"

"One—if you fall asleep and you dream and you wish for him, Grandpa will appear," Estelle went on, carefully weaving her fairytale for her children, husband, and those around them to hear. "And two—look up at the stars and he'll be there,"

Owain frowned. "The stars?"

Estelle nodded along. "That's right," She affirmed, "Grandpa's journey is only the beginning. And right now, he's up in space and is using the stars to guide him to the place where he'll be going."

"But isn't it too dark for him to see?" Eve asked, creasing her eyebrows as tugged onto her father's sleeve. "Doesn't he need help?"

"You can help him," Flynn joined in, causing the others to turn their heads and eyes to focus in on him. Standing before the small family, the knight turned to face his daughter and pecked her on the forehead. He then glanced down at the male Kriytan and patted him on the head. "The four of you must work together to help him get there…"

"Should we use Ba'ul?" Seliph chipped in.

Something warm snaked around his shoulders, causing him to freeze in place. Moving his head, the young Krityan was surprised to find his foster mother and mentor look at him with loving eyes. "I'm afraid Ba'ul won't be able to help him get there. He's still too young, you know and the wind turbulence up there might hurt him,"

"Yeah, and the Fiertia would get destroyed in smithereens!" Patty exclaimed, coming over with Repede and sat down across from Yuri with her gaze fixed intently on the younger male. "You wouldn't want yer home to get blown up, would ya?"

When she saw Seliph gulped and quickly shake his head, she bitterly smiled. "Exactly, nobody wants their home gone,"

Repede barked in agreement, followed by Lambert and Zephyr who immediately went to their respective young owners except for Lamia, who was sleeping and was supported on his back. Ever so carefully, he sprawled down on the open space within the group, though tried not to emit a sound.

"Magic won't help either," Rita tagged along, joining the small circle and sitting down next to her best friend. "I've tried multiple times but it doesn't work."

"What about Uncle Ioder and the Knights?" Sarah suggested, hoping that her answer could be the solution.

"I'm afraid that's not a good option, darlin'," Raven stepped in, approaching the knight and the young redhead and giving her a smile. "Your granddad's journey is meant for him and him only,"

Bursting with confidence, Karol stepped forward. "All we can do is wish for him to be safe," He added in, his voice full of vigor. "Your grandma Jiri is there waiting for him and I'm sure that she'll be happy to see him after so long,"

"It's going to be lonely here without him," Marie said softly, maneuvering her way through the small group and bestowing the princess the small bundle in her arms. "But we're together and that's all that matters,"

"It's what Hanks would want," Ted replied, taking part as well with his satchel which contained his trusty camera and the equipment needed. "And he wouldn't want any of you to look so sad,"

"So then…" Owain trailed off, getting the group's attention. "What should we do to let Grandpa know that we'll be okay?"

Yuri, Estelle, Flynn and the others exchanged knowing looks and smiled.

"Remember him," Yuri spoke up, "And if you can do that, Grandpa would be happy,"

Eve and Owain turned to look at each other, then they looked over to their honorable cousins who gazed back at them with smiles.

"Okay!" Eve cried, being the speaker of her little band of misfits and with a bright, impish smirk plastered on her face, she added, "We'll do that!"

The adults smiled, rest-assured that everything and everyone was going to be alright.

As the sky gradually dwindled to reflect the arrival of twilight, it was time for Yuri, Estelle, and the members of Brave Vesperia to head on home.

* * *

"We'll be sure to visit you soon," Marie told the married couple as they were about to embark on the large ship.

"I'll probably do the same and take more pictures," Ted explained as he jerked his chin to the camera in his possession.

Yuri nodded in agreement. "And be sure to bring that girlfriend of yours from the noble quarter," He pointed out, which caused the latter to stiffen and blush furiously. "Maybe show her how much of an expert you are with that contraption of yours,"

Ted clenched his teeth, ignoring the burning sensation on his cheeks as he called out his big brother figure.

"Come on, Yuri," Estelle came in, smiling sweetly. "Don't bully him,"

Listening to her words, the green-haired teenager sighed in relief. "Thanks, Miss Estelle…"

"You should wait until he comes with her and show her the baby photos you have of him," The princess added in, prompting the teenager to widen his eyes.

"Miss Estelle…" Ted exclaimed as he buried his tomato red face into his hands. "No, not you too!"

Yuri, Estelle, and Marie laughed as the teenager excused himself as he ran off to bid farewell to the children who were with Repede and the others.

"Guess this is goodbye, for now, Marie," Estelle expressed, stepping forward and politely bowing her head. "Thank you so much for your hospitality,"

"It's no trouble at all," The innkeeper replied back, "You and your friends are now members of our community in the Lower Quarter." Collecting her hands together on top of her white apron, she smiled and said, "As Hanks would've said, 'a family that stays together, sticks together',"

Yuri and Estelle nodded.

"Ioder would come over sometime to help out with the next election of the mayor," The princess went on as she gently took a hold of her husband's hand with her own. "And the Schwann Brigade would be here willing to assist,"

Marie nodded. "Good, good!" She agreed with another nod and a smile. "I'll be looking forward to that. Well, off you go then!" Hugging the princess and patting the swordsman on the shoulder, she dismissed them off to the Fiertia.

The pair smiled, strolling hand-in-hand as they entered the Fiertia where their found family and children awaited their presence.

"Seliph," Judith called her student over.

Catching on to her words, the young Krityan nodded and proceeded to take out the golden horn from inside his pocket. Inhaling a deep breath, he blew into it—in response, the large flying Entelexeia flapped its large, feathery wings and began to make it ascend into the heavenly skies.

Everyone on board waved at Marie, Ted, and the folks of the Lower Quarter and as Ba'ul rotated around and grew close to the Palace, they sighted the young Emperor with Sodia, Witcher and Master Drake standing out the open balcony who waved back at them as well.

Releasing a sonic wail, the gentle giant flew further into the skies until the Capital City of Zaphias was no more. The children, who were huddled together, squealed with joy as a gust of wind abruptly blew in. Meanwhile, the adults laughed harmoniously before turning their attention to the starry night skies from up above.

"Everyone, look!" Estelle exclaimed, directing her finger high as she supported her newborn with her other arm. "It's Brave Vesperia!"

On cue, all eyes turned to the brightest star in the night sky.

"Woah, what's that?" Eve suddenly cried, as she too pointed at the star as well.

Everyone on board narrowed their eyes, concentrating their efforts on the strange speck of light that was surprisingly close to the legendary star.

Confused, Rita turned to look at her best friend and asked, "Estelle, do you know which star that is?"

The princess frowned. "…I don't know,"

"It seems new," Karol came in, frowning as he angled his head the other way to get a better look at the tiny star. "And it seems to be on the right…"

"Stars don't usually just spawn out of nowhere, right?" Raven wondered, rubbing on his stubble as he thought it over.

Judith folded her arms over her chest as she veered her sights at the particular star. "Now that you mention it, I'm not sure either."

"Of all my years sailing the seven seas and using stars as a map to guide my way," Patty went on, as she steered the wheel of the ship, "All I can say is that that thing yer seeing is new!"

Yuri arched an eyebrow. "Are you saying that that star was born just now?"

"Could be," Flynn muttered, bringing a hand under his chin as he tried to think of a good solution to the strange predicament they were in. "I'll have to investigate once I go back to Aurnion. The scholars there might know something,"

"I'll join you," Rita chimed in, already getting into gear. "Something as extraordinary as this can't be left unnoticed!"

As the adults continued to ponder on the identity of the new star, Yuri noticed the children appearing giddy and awestruck. "Hey," He began, walking over to them and offering him an encouraging grin. "What's up with those smiles?"

Eve, Owain, Sarah, and even Seliph returned the same look that he wore.

"Can't you tell, Daddy?" Eve was the first to speak up, laughing joyfully. "That star up there! We know who it is!"

Hearing this, the adults moved their heads to look at the children with dumbfounded expressions.

"Wait, what?" Rita cried, stunned. "You know? All of you?"

Sarah nodded, smiling.

Seliph shrugged as he said, "I mean, it's obvious…"

Not understanding the meaning of his words, Yuri turned to face his children and asked, "Can you tell us what that star is?"

"Uh-huh!" Owain replied, bobbing his head as he cried with excitement etched in his voice, "IT'S GRANDPA!"

Everything turned quiet.

"Are you saying that…" Raven trailed off, his eyes widening upon realization. "That star up there is…"

"Hanks?" Flynn finished for him with his mouth dropped open.

It took a while for the information to settle in and through the encouragement of the children, the adults turned their heads to face one another with knowing looks.

Another gust of wind blew in, letting his hair to flow freely behind his back. Peering up, Yuri smirked.

* * *

A new day, a new year, a fresh start for him, his friends, family, and children.

On the stroke of midnight—the dawn of a new year arrived, one filled with promise and more opportunities ahead.

A new year without him…

Even so, Yuri knew that the old man would want him to keep going.

Once lost and wayward as a child, troubled and indecisive as a teenager, still uncertain and conflicted even as an adult—but now, here he was, standing as a thirty-one-year-old—he no longer felt those negative feelings. For the first time, he knew where he belonged and knew exactly what he wanted.

And as he ventured through the skies, together with the ones he loved and his future grasped tightly in his hands, Yuri Lowell couldn't help but eagerly anticipate for what's to come.

"I'm not alone anymore," He whispered to himself, grinning widely as a hint of electricity flickered in his eyes. **"Thanks for all that you've done, Dad. Rest easy now. We'll take it from here."**

* * *

 **AND THAT'S IT! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT! FINALLY, THE FANFICTION IS COMPLETE!**

 **NOW, FOR THE MEANING OF THE TITLE. The SECOND STAR IS THE NAME OF YURI'S SIGNATURE BLADE AND IT WAS GIVEN TO HIM BY JIRI-TO ME, THE SECOND STAR EMBODIES JIRI AND THE 'TO THE RIGHT' AND THE DESCRIPTION FOR THE WEAPON, 'THE FIRST ONE IS FOR HIM...' SPEAKS OF HANKS. AND SO-SECOND STAR (JIRI) TO THE RIGHT (HANKS) IS HOW THE TITLE IS COMMEMORATED.**

 **ALSO, I WAS LISTENING TO PETER PAN 2: the SECOND STAR TO THE RIGHT AND MAKE A WISH FROM POKEMON FOR THIS FANFIC SO FEEL FREE TO WEEP AS YOU LISTEN IF YOU CAN!**

 **THE GREATEST THING THAT I'VE EVER DONE WAS CUTTING YURI'S HAIR-I KEPT PONDERING ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT IF I SHOULD DO IT BUT IN THE END, I KNEW IT HAD TO BE DONE AS IT IS VERY SYMBOLIC TO THE NEW CHANGES THAT WOULD AWAIT HIM AND THE OTHERS.**

 **NOW, FOR THE ANNOUNCEMENTS-**

 **IM PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT THERE WILL BE A SPINOFF IN THE WORKS. AND THE PROMPT IS THE KICKER-IT'S UP TO YOU, READERS! (Hanks may have passed and gone, but I believe the adventure is not yet over for the rest of the cast and their children)**

 **AND FOR MY OTHER FANFICTION, Start of Something New will begin its production again in the second week of March (that's my spring break) and afterward, checkmate will be next (same week).**

 **For Valentine's day one-shot-I would leave the prompt up to you all and of the best one, I will pick them, dedicate the fiction to them and give them a shoutout.**

 **Once more, thank you all for your encouraging words of comments (and kudos in the A03 community).**

 **If you have any prompts for me regarding yustelle, any questions or whatnot, click on this link and it would lead you to my curious cat account:**

 **/Kroissant**

 **If not, feel free to submit a comment below here and I'll be more than happy to use that as an alternative! I'm looking forward to your submissions!**

 **Once again, thank you so much!**

 **Once more, I'm open to your opinions and criticisms!**

 **That's all for now!**

 **THANK YOU AND I HOPE TO SEE YOU GUYS SOON!**


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